Mine: Wauseca-Aronson Mine, Mineral Hills, MI

Wauseca Mine and Aronson Mine → Wauseca-Aronson Mine → Became

Operated for 40+ years (with pauses)

From: 1910-1961+

Location: SE-NW and SW-NE (Wauseca); E 1/2-NW-SE (Aronson) of Section 23 of T43N-R35W

Owned by: Hanna Coal & Ore Corporation (M.A. Hanna Co. agent)

Produced: Iron Ore, hard, red high phosphorus. Crushed.;

Method: Underground. Sub-level stoping. Depth 1,142 feet.

Railroad connection:

Until: 

Lifetime Production: 3,771,679 between 1926 and 1950.

Notes

The Wauseca-Aronson Mine was located in Mineral Hills north of Iron River. It was opened in 1910-1911.  See also Aronson Mine.

Wauseca opened in 1926; shipped through 1929. Operated by Mineral Mining Co. Sometimes known as the Konwinski Mine. Stockpile shipments in 1940 and 1941 made by M.A. Hanna. Assigned to Hanna Coal & Ore Corp. in 1941, with the Aronson, and has shopped each year 1942 to date (1950). Shipments from Aronson started in 1947. [LSIO]

The Aronson Mine was located in Iron River and was also known as the Wauseca-Aronson Mine. Sometimes known as the Konwinski Mine.

Wauseca opened in 1926; shipped through 1929. 1,510 feet.

Shipments in 1940-01941 made by M. A. Hanna Co.

Assigned to Hanna Coal & Ore Corporation in 1941 with the Aronson and has shipped each year 1942 to date (1950). Shipments sometimes reported as from the Wauseca in 1911, 1913, 1915, 1916, 1918-1920 and 1922, evidently were made by the James (or Osana) mine.

In Iron River, MI. SE-NW and SW-NE (Wauseca); E 1/2-NW-SE (Aronson) Section 23, T43N-R35W.

Time Line

1956. Hanna Iron Co. will undertake to sink a new 20 foot diameter circular shaft in Mineral Hills to serve both the Wauseca and Homer mines. This will be a new 2,000 foot deep shaft, equipped with a friction-type hoist to take over for the existing facilities which will become inadequate as mining goes to greater depths. Production through the new shaft will begin sometime in 1960. [EDP-1937-0114]

1961. June 6. Two trainmen barely escaped being swallowed by a Wauseca mine surface cave-in that will curtail shipping at the Wauseca and Sherwood until tracks can be rerouted. The sudden drop of ground came about 8:30 am as a C&NW locomotive was waiting for cars to be loaded from the mine's stockpile. The cave-in occurred just alongside the tracks on which the locomotive was running and under the stockpile.

A hole 150 by 60 feet opened up and gulped up to 7,000 tons of stockpiled ore into the mine. The fireman and engineer leaped off the engine and from a distance saw ore falling into the big hole. When the danger had passed they went back to their engine and cautiously eased it away from the cave-in. The trackage alongside the stockpile was declared unsafe and will have to be rerouted before shipping can be resumed. The same spur serves the Sherwood mine and there will be no shipping until new track is installed. [EFP-1961-0606]

Image info: A view of the mine collapse under the C&NW load-out spur. [Alpha-Mastodon Historical Society]

1965. Noted as an active mine operated by the Hanna Mining Company. [DMP]

1967. Part of the Homer-Wauseca group. [DMG-19p67]