Public Mine Tours Scheduled For Summer 2012
A guided tour of a working iron ore mine and processing plant will be available to the public again for the 20th year this summer as Cliffs Natural Resources’ Michigan Operations will open its mining area and processing facility to visitors beginning on June 19. The summer tours are a special program offered by the Lake Superior Community Partnership (LSCP) and Cliffs.
The tours will begin on Tuesday, June 19 and run until Saturday, August 25. One tour per day will be offered Tuesdays through Saturday afternoons and will last approximately three hours.
“This is a truly unique experience for both residents and visitors in Marquette County,” said Lindsay Hemmila, LSCP director of marketing and public relations. “The tours have become very popular over the years and visitors are always impressed by what they see on the tour.”
“Visitors will get an in depth look into our operations and see just how large mining equipment really is,” said Jennifer Huetter, district manager of public affairs for Cliffs. “We hope visitors will walk away with a better understanding of the mining industry and how it directly affects our local economy. It’s important for us to show how vital mining is to the Upper Peninsula and how Cliffs is essential to the North American steel industry.”
Tickets for the tours can be purchased in advance. The cost is $15.00 per person, which offsets the transportation and administrative costs of the tour program. Tickets will be sold at the LSCP office.
The tours will begin with visitors meeting the tour bus at the Michigan Iron Industry Museum in Negaunee Township.
The tours will begin promptly at 12:00 noon as visitors receive a video presentation and orientation at the Michigan Iron Industry Museum prior to the bus departing for the mine. The tour route will allow visitors to view mining operations at Cliffs’ Empire facility, while the ore processing portion of the tour will take place at the Tilden Mine concentrator and pelletizing plant.
Tour space is limited and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Due to the popularity of the tour program, advance reservations are recommended. Minimum age for the tour is 10 years old and children ages under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.