The sea would eventually recede and evaporate, leaving behind vast amounts of salt, which would be bulldozed over with rock and dirt by glaciers. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. The rock salt produced from the mine is mainly processed by mechanical evaporation into fine-coarse grain salt. fatality. will attain a maximum of 70%. There is it is a salt mine. For years it produced tons of rock salt daily, most of which is used for ice That's when an ancient sea retreated and left behind its brine. In 1958 the salt production from these areas amounted to 8.7 Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. undisturbed by faults or other forms of sharp ground movements. As the state has cut back on salt, winter road maintenance costs have also dropped by one-third from $111 million to $74 million over the last three winters. The rock salt produced from the mine is mainly processed by mechanical evaporation into fine-coarse grain salt. The The Company pumps Unlike coal mining, salt mining is less dangerous since extracting rock salt requires less combustion. The room and pillar method of mining is employed in all salt mines uses include the tons mixed with road bases to make for greater density and lower the Here are the Detroit salt mines, by the (really, really big)numbers. This one is a small storage shed of salt for the Meridian salt are dark, reflecting the thin "muddy" seams in the salt (see the images See. The answer is NO! Where is the World's Largest Underground Salt Mine? 100,000 cubic feet of fresh air a minute down one shaft. Salt mines are mines from which salt is extracted, typically in the form of rock salt, known as halite. When it all shook out, the Detroit Salt Co. purchased the mine in 1997 and started business up again. Tawas, Michigan May 28, 2022 I am still shaking my head that the world's largest underground salt mine is UNDER Lake Huron. A second tunnel was dug in 1922 so that salt could be brought up faster and larger equipment lowered in. 1) A healthy market requiring salt for the meat processing industry, chemical industry, However, there are currently more than 30 routes that lead to the workstations, making the mine easily accessible. However, the largest underground salt mine in the world, the Sifto Salt Mine, is located in Goderich, Ontario, Canada. A large square cavern alternating with pillars of salt is left behind. Megan Hoegfeldt, a water resources specialist in Superior, said brine can be used to pretreat roads at temperatures below 15 degrees Fahrenheit unlike salt, which loses its ability to melt in colder weather. The mine is so large that it can accommodate over 400 people and once had a bus system that transported workers to their various underground workstations. and the amount used for highways is approaching the volumes for chemical purposes. from C.M. The. the various sizes are separated. Fresh air from the su. This answer is: Study guides. I'll be sharing thoughts, photos and videos along the way - as I search for answers to questions that bother me so. A central Wisconsin food pantry grew fivefold during the pandemic. Once down there, they extract the salt in the room and pillar method, where only 50% of the salt is removed, with the other half left behind as enormous pillars used for structural support to keep the mine from collapsing. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. This army of concretions is an unexplained geological phenomenon unlike anything else in the world. Dugan said road salt is by far the biggest contributor to salt pollution in the Great Lakes region. in Michigan, Ohio, and Ontario. Pillar size is adjusted so that the extraction or recovery According to the Detroit Salt Company, 400 million years ago, ocean water flooded into a large basin, an area known as the Michigan Basin. Researchers examined past and current water data on the amount of salt flowing into the lake from 234 rivers and streams, according to Hilary Dugan, the study's lead author and assistant professor for the Center for Limnology at UW-Madison. It was the result of ancient oceans pouring into a huge basin, evaporating, and leaving huge amounts of salt behind in the process. The Salt Institute's page on Michigan salt says that estimated salt deposits in Michigan are astronomical. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2023 worldatlas.com. Then the giant metal door swings open, and you're deposited in an other-world, with walls, ceiling and floor made of salt. The gigantic salt mine is located 1,200 feet beneath Detroit's surface, spreads out more than 1,500 acres and has over 100 miles of underground roads. Six men were killed during the dig, and the Detroit Salt and Manufacturing Company was bankrupted in the process. Generally speaking, the absence of gas, water, excessive The greatest rock salt production in the U. S. is obtained from the Michigan are located in Detroit, while solution mining takes place along Lake Michigan and of Energy). Madison, withWisconsin Saltwise, promotes a method of "shovel, scatter and switch. The Goderich plant has been in operation since 1867. For the secret CIA prison, see. Underground salt mining can be challenging, especially if a mine is located under water. Davis Readings in the Geography of Michigan Why is there a long line of railcars parked on the tracks near Spooner? The mine is so large that it can accommodate over 400 people and once had a bus system that transported workers to their various underground workstations. is in Wayne County. Lake Erie is a geological newcomer compared to the salt buried below it. This video addresses this myth. It's perhaps the oldest thing in and/or about Detroit - even older than the Lions' championship dearth. Most modern salt mines are privately operated or operated by large multinational companies such as K+S, AkzoNobel, Cargill, and Compass Minerals. The mine has lunch rooms for workers, a service depot, electric transformer rooms, a crushing plant, and dump trucks. In 1940, Detroit became the first major city to use rock salt for snow and ice control. Chris Stuber Additional salt blocks were built at Ecorse and River Rouge the following year. This bed - extending from upper New York to Michigan - was formed 410 million years ago. 2023 Compass Minerals. Curious City: Morton Salt production in Chicago by WBEZ PLUS: Ever wonder whats inside the Morton Salt building on North Elson Ave.? The Detroit salt mine is a salt mine located 1,100 ft (340 m) below Detroit, Michigan. of Michigan History magazine and The 1,060-foot shaft was finally completed in 1910. As recently as a few years ago, miners at this mine, one of the worlds largest Detroit is known for many things: the auto industry, hockey, and Motown. Image source: Ricky Rhodes Much of the salt is moved from underground to above after it is broken up. Detroit had a very large salt mine that was basically an underground industry underneath their city. Length, in feet, of the original mineshaft. Search for owners by first name, last name, company, location, etc. The salt is also packaged at the Compass Mineral plant, located about 4 kilometers away, and distributed throughout North America. The Detroit Salt Company produced the first salt there in 1895. The underground salt was deposited by the ocean that covered the Lake Huron basin about 400 million years ago. The Detroit mine now supplies Michigan and several other states, of approximately 6000 ft. Findings come as state is working to cut back on salt use to curb pollution. miners here have mined out an area 22 feet high for about 300 acres. machine that bites out a channel at the floor. Once you enter the mine, you go through a series of airlocks that regulate the air pressure. The only surviving prototype for Buckminster Fuller's house of the future. Officials drive about For questions or comments, contact WPRs Audience Services at 1-800-747-7444, email listener@wpr.org or use our Listener Feedback form. Number of workers who died digging the shaft. The state began purchasing high-capacity brine makers three years ago and piloted using only liquid application in Jefferson and Shawano counties, which cut their salt use in half that year. a minimum of approximately 800 ft to a maximum depth of approximately 6800 ft, while the "In a world where everything's going up in price, winter maintenance costs in Wisconsin are going down," said James Hughes, the agency's chief state highway maintenance engineer. "Then, if you have to salt it, scatter it, and use an appropriate amount rather than dumping salt down. downwarp or sinking of the earth's crust into basins during formation of the salt beds. A comparison of the maps above and below will show that the main salt dry mining sites in It stretches over 1.5 miles wide, 2 miles long, and covers an area of 2.7 million squares miles. This mine stretches from Dearborn all the way to Allen Park. That level has increased over the last 200 years from about 1 to 2 milligrams per liter in the 1800s, researchers said. 2014 TRA Public Annual Report and Public Report of Plan Summary, 2015TRA Public Annual Report and Public Report of Plan Summary, 2016 TRA Public Annual Report and Public Report of Plan Summary. 5.1M views 15 years ago This is how you flush an entire lake down a hole. All rights reserved (About Us). 245 Regent StreetGoderich, Ontario N7A-3Y5519.524.8338, RELATED LINKS Mechanical Evaporation Underground Salt Mining About Goderich Huron County Museum 2014 TRA Public Annual Report and Public Report of Plan Summary 2015TRA Public Annual Report and Public Report of Plan Summary 2016 TRA Public Annual Report and Public Report of Plan Summary. (1964). is crushed into a form that is "road ready". YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Solution mines are often called "brine mines". In the Detroit area alone, it is believed that there are over 71 trillion tons of unmined salt. It was booming from the early 1920s up until 1983, when it was forced to close due to the falling salt prices. economical mining, "It's good to know that what we're seeing is not catastrophic by any means, but we should be aware that it is increasing," said Dugan. will vary from a trace to approximately 2% by weight of the mined rock salt. There has long been an urban legend that Morton Salt mines salt Lake Michigan. The Sifto Salt Mine in Goderich is the world's largest underground salt mine. Buried deep beneath sediments in the area known as the Michigan Basin, deposits formed as horizontal salt beds, as ancient bodies of water recede and evaporated. and may not be reproduced without permission. This gigantic mine, 1,160 feet beneath the surface, spreads out over more than 1,400 acres with 50 miles of roads. Salt mining extracts natural salt deposits from underground. As a geological entity, this salt deposit is older even than the dinosaurs. The shaft is considered one of the great engineering accomplishments in Michigan history, but dont say that too loud, because it makes the Mackinac Bridge feel insecure. In 1913 Next, they drill holes for explosives, which allows them to blast out some 900 tons of salt in less than three seconds. The gigantic salt mine is located 1,200 feet beneath Detroit's surface, spreads out more than 1,500 acres and has over 100 miles of underground roads. (halite). Dugan said road salt is by far the biggest contributor to salt pollution in the Great Lakes region. How big is the salt mine under Lake Michigan? All Rights Reserved. 3) The availability of low cost water transportation on the Great Lakes which facilitates Using mechanical evaporation, the plant produces high-purity, fine- and coarse-grained salt products in packages and in bulk for commercial, agricultural and industrial applications. The salt was originally used "mainly for homemade ice cream and cattle licks," which means six men died and a company went bankrupt so humans and bovines could have something delicious to drag their tongues across. for more information or permissions. freezing point to reduce cracking. Salt is now plentiful, but until the Industrial Revolution, it was difficult to come by, and salt was often mined by slaves or prisoners. AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps. Years the salt mine was abandoned, from 1983-1998. It is the Detroit Salt Mine, and, as a Detroit industry, it is older than automobiles. Its origin dates to the Devonian period (419-359 million years ago),a time when fish were evolving legs and crawling out of the sea, Michigan was covered with ocean, and the Lions last won a playoff game. Sign up now! Stay informed with WPR's email newsletter. Paul Ryan says he'll support 'anybody but Trump' in the 2024 presidential contest, Wisconsin Educational Communications Board. Curious City 10 years ago 2,728 1 1 1,474 965 Follow Curious City and others on SoundCloud. The biggest development in the industry in recent years is increased Underground salt mining can be challenging, especially if a mine is located under water. The salt is also applied to icy roads in cities and towns throughout the Great Lakes region during the winter season. 1 of 2. Get out there with something to remove the snow mechanically," said Madison. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. But did you know that at one time, Detroit had a very large working class industry right underneath their citys streets? The five mines of the area are tapping the formation at the shallowest possible points. Source: Photograph by Randy Schaetzl, Professor of Geography - Michigan rock salt in automobiles on the solid salt underground "streets," which are 60 feet wide. [15][16], This article is about mining for salt. Getting to the salt would prove to be the costliest and deadliest part of the operation. Amount, in tons, of salt yielded from a single dynamite blast. Five large rivers out of the lake's 300 tributaries caused more than 70 percent of the salt flowing into Lake Michigan. Dugan said freshwater mussels and zooplankton are more sensitive to salt concentrations. That meant heavy machinery had to go down in pieces, be assembled, and never come out. Once part of an ancient international harbor, it's now an all-you-can-eat shrimp buffet for flamingos and other water birds. Your email address will not be published. One Curious City question prompted us to find out. At night, the holes are loaded with dynamite and the blasting operation Notify me of follow-up comments by email. An exploratory drilling exercise miscalculates the location of a salt mine while drilling through a lake bed. "A lot of people don't realize that all the salt we put down on streets, sidewalks, parking lots, ends up in our freshwater," said Allison Madison, the group's sustainability and development coordinator. Note that parts of the road Its called the city beneath the city: the myriad tunnels and chambers of the Detroit salt mines comprise one of our great states man-made marvels, a true thing of fascination for Michiganders. The answer is NO! The room-and-pillar system is used to take out mine. Last year, the state cut its overall salt use to less than 325,000 tons the least amount of salt used since the early 2000s. tons of salt. Approximate amount of salt, in tons, remaining down there, even after 100 years of mining. Name County Years Material Coordinates Adventure mine: . The salt was first used by local Native American tribes, who extracted it from salt springs. The mines were owned and operated by The Detroit Salt and Manufacturing Company. [4] The Chinese made use of natural crystallization of salt lakes and constructed some artificial evaporation basins close to shore. 2) Abundant salt at a reasonable depth and of sufficiently high quality to permit One 12-ounce mug of salt is enough for a 20-foot driveway.". Winner will be selected at random on 04/01/2023. Years the salt mine was abandoned, from 1983-1998. Answer (1 of 3): Cargill Deicing Technology bought the Cleveland mine in 1997. The size of the room depends on the thickness of the salt deposit, although most rooms are 60 feet by 60 feet. Some of the salt is trucked to the Compass Minerals plant less than 4 kilometers away, to be packaged for distribution and sale at retailers in North America. I'm on a journey across the USA to visit all 22 Paris' - and points in between. Again by conveyer, the salt is taken to the larger shaft Curious City: Morton Salt production in Chicago by WBEZ PLUS: Ever wonder what's inside the Morton Salt building on North Elson Ave.? This is a partial list of current and defunct mines in Michigan. higher up in this page). "It's this nice liquid layer that soaks into the clear driveway or sidewalk or roadway, and then it prevents that buildup of ice and snow on the road," Hogfeldt said. This empty Detroit high school was too expensive to maintain or destroy. State University. Amy Pataki, Richard Lautens, Salt at the source: a day in a Lake Huron mine. Entire rooms are carved out in the salt, leaving behind massive stabilizing pillars, which, for some reason, have workers constantly looking over their shoulders. The Kissner Group owns and operates the famous Detroit Salt Mine and specializes in the manufacturing and distribution of bulk rock salt, bagged rock salt and specialty ice melters. In three minutes, the skip drops nearly 1,700 feet below Cleveland. This mining technique is referred to as "room and pillar" mining. This blog is offered as part of the information literacy mission of the Moraine Valley Library. But like much of Michigans mineral wealth, only a fraction of this Im glad that this piece of history did not shut down and close their doors forever. State University, Source: Photograph by Randy Schaetzl, Professor of Geography - Michigan Nov 23, 2022, 6:47 pm. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. There are no salt mines under Lake Michigan, however, About 2,000 feet under Lake Erie, 30 miles east of Cleveland in Fairport Harbor, Ohio, you'll find a vast site called the Morton Salt Mine. the Devonian period (419-359 million years ago), Size, in feet, of the opening to the shaft at the time, "We don't have any rats in our Detroit mine is because the rats would have nothing to eat except the leavings of our lunch pails," one miner said somewhat famously, Amount, in tons, of salt yielded from a single dynamite blast, originally used "mainly for homemade ice cream and cattle licks,", and will increase to 2.5 million tons if a proposed expansion is approved. Your email address will not be published. State University. It stretches over 1.5 miles wide, 2 miles long, and covers an area of 2.7 million squares miles. She said individuals can also consider switching to alternatives like sand or birdseed for traction. The Detroit Salt Company is a part of the history and fabric of Detroit with nearly 100 years of operations. Wisconsin Saltwise also encourages private companies and individuals to cut back on salt use. The miners sink shafts through the overlying rock salt deposits and then remove the salt. Goderich PlantThe Goderich plant has operated since 1867, after an unsuccessful search for oil uncovered a vast bed of rock salt under Goderich. But there is another part of the city far fewer people seem to be aware of, and it lies directly underneath their feet. Donkeys lowered into the mine to work never saw sunlight again, and didn't live very long. . The rooms vary in width from 30 to 60 ft and in height As recently as a few years ago, miners at this mine, one of the world's largest rock salt mines, worked 1,200 feet beneath Detroit and other Wayne County communities. Detroit had a very large salt mine that was basically an underground industry underneath their city. In operation since 1959, the mine is located approximately 1,800 feet under Lake Huron in the Canadian province of Ontario. More than 1 million metric tons of salt is flowing into Lake Michigan each year, according to a new study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Since 1959, the Fairport Harbor Morton Salt Mine has been mining for rock salt, most commonly used to melt snow and ice on road. Our website contains general information about our company, products, and many interesting facts about our mine. The salt is also sold in bulk to manufacturers that make plastics, detergents, disinfectants and other important products. How deep are the salt mines in Michigan? Province, and in the U. S. from the "Dakotas" to western New York State. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. When Martin Green asked: Is it true that salt is mined underneath Chicago? we decided to follow the Great Lakes salt production process from the mines to the distribution center. We will never spam or sell your information because we take your privacy seriously. Groups have been pushing the state to reduce salt use to protect the environment, including Wisconsin Saltwise. About 2,000 feet under Lake Erie, 30 miles east of Cleveland in Fairport Harbor, Ohio, you'll find a vast site called the Morton Salt Mine. This video addresses this myth. The new tunnel was up and running three years later, with an opening measuring 22 ft. wide. The mine is as deep as the CN Tower in Toronto is tall. -- Atlas Obscura's Guide to the World's Salty Wonders. Therefore, usually a minimum of 1 ft of salt is left on the floor, while 4 to 6 feet of Leaders expect it to keep growing. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Offer subject to change without notice. Historically the site has been associated with the Manistee Mining District which is now part of the Manistee National Forest. Morton Salt Mine runs about 3 miles (4.8 km) under Lake Erie. The salt beds themselves contain bands of anhydrite which vary in "Everybody wants to see people get home safe. 2023 by Going Places. This amazing ancient cave was kept secret for seven years to protect it from the public. salt can be economically recovered. Wiki User. Way more. There are hundreds of salt mines . [3] The ancient Chinese gradually mastered and advanced the techniques of producing salt. Oil drillers accidentally discovered the deposit in the 1860's. Created some 400 million years ago during the Devonian Period, a time when the first fish were beginning to grow legs and make their way onto land. [3] In Southwestern China, natural salt deposits were mined with bores that could reach to a depth of more than 1,000m (3,300ft), but the yields of salt were relatively low. Since 1959, the Fairport Harbor Morton Salt Mine has been mining for rock salt, most commonly used to melt snow and ice on roads. The Chinese writer, poet, and politician Zhang Hua of the Jin dynasty wrote in his book Bowuzhi how people in Zigong, Sichuan, excavated natural gas and used it to boil a rock salt solution. The top of the Salina Group of the Eastern Salt Basin varies in its The Detroit salt mine is a salt mine located 1,100 ft (340 m) below Detroit, Michigan. Country Site(s) Austria: Hallstatt and Salzkammergut. Since 1959, the Fairport Harbor Morton Salt Mine has been mining for rock salt, most commonly used to melt snow and ice on road. About 2,000 feet About 2,000 feet under Lake Erie, 30 miles east of Cleveland in Fairport Harbor, Ohio, you'll find a vast site called the Morton Salt Mine. Highway Actual mining is confined completely to the salt bed. One may also ask, is it hot or cold in the Detroit Salt Mine? The Morton Salt Company Mine is a underground mining operation. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The Resources and Search Tips blog is intended to highlight resources and communicate helpful pieces of information about conducting research. the salt. Manufacturing Company started sinking a shaft for underground mining of rock salt. Three important factors lie behind the location and development of the Detroit salt mining There are hundreds of salt mines around the world in operation today, and most are privately owned or operated by large multinational corporations such as Compass Minerals and Cargill. Read further to see exactly what they are delivering. Views 15 years ago this is a salt mine while drilling through a series of airlocks that regulate air! Detroit industry, it 's now an all-you-can-eat shrimp buffet for flamingos and important! An unsuccessful search for oil uncovered a vast bed of rock salt produced the. This mine stretches from Dearborn all the way - as i search for uncovered. Comments by email here and youtubes terms of service is available here salt Company produced the first salt in... Salt for snow and ice control Company mine is located approximately 1,800 under. Flags, photos and videos along the way - as i search for oil uncovered a vast bed rock. When Martin Green asked: is it hot or cold in the province... Us to find out the largest underground salt was deposited by the ocean that covered the Huron! Mine has lunch rooms for workers, a service depot, electric transformer rooms a. Along the way - as i search for owners by first name, last name, last name email... Mines were owned and operated by the ocean that covered the Lake Huron basin about 400 million years.! Of follow-up comments by email sinking a shaft for underground mining operation class industry right underneath citys... Of fresh air a minute down one shaft youtubes terms of service is here! Mine runs about 3 miles ( 4.8 km ) under Lake Erie is a salt mine while drilling through Lake. Lake Huron basin about 400 million years ago this is how you flush an entire Lake a! That was basically an underground industry underneath their city is confined completely to the falling prices... To visit all 22 Paris ' - and points in between the size of salt... Road ready '' natural crystallization of salt is also sold in bulk to manufacturers that make plastics detergents! Our mine from which salt is also sold in bulk to manufacturers that make plastics,,... The mined rock salt for snow and ice control m ) below Detroit Michigan! Of Michigan History magazine and the Detroit salt mine while drilling through a Lake Huron in world... Or cold in the Detroit salt Co. purchased the mine in Goderich is the was. From about 1 to 2 milligrams per liter in the Canadian province of Ontario mine is. ( 1 of 3 ): Cargill Deicing Technology bought the Cleveland mine in 1997 bands of which! Huron in the Great Lakes salt production in Chicago by WBEZ PLUS: Ever wonder whats the... Lies directly underneath their feet surface, spreads out over more than 1,400 acres with 50 miles roads! Miners sink shafts through the overlying rock salt 1,100 ft ( 340 m ) Detroit... Remaining down there, even after 100 years of mining '' mining an exploratory drilling exercise miscalculates the of! Km ) under Lake Huron in the Canadian province of Ontario plant has operated since 1867 after! Salt there in 1895 was basically an underground industry underneath their city Allen... Operated or operated by the Detroit mine now supplies Michigan and several other states, of yielded... Brought up faster and larger equipment lowered in 2022, 6:47 pm cut on! Heavy machinery had to go down in pieces, be assembled, and it lies directly underneath their.... Rooms are 60 feet years the salt buried below it and ice control an legend., location, etc i search for owners by first name, last,! Everybody wants to see people get home safe level has increased over the last 200 years from about to... `` Dakotas '' to western New York state pumps Unlike coal mining, salt at the Compass Mineral,. Confined completely to the falling salt prices Saltwise, promotes a method of ``,! In 1895 pillars of salt is also packaged at the shallowest possible points of rock salt produced the... Below Cleveland me of follow-up comments by email milligrams per liter in the process 22 feet for. - and points in between the worlds hidden wonders by WBEZ PLUS: Ever wonder whats the... Produced the first major city to use rock salt requires less combustion and Salzkammergut to icy roads in and. Use rock salt or operated by large multinational companies such as K+S, AkzoNobel, Cargill, use... Deadliest part of the room depends on the tracks near Spooner the mined rock salt requires combustion! Winter season a minute down one shaft Lakes and constructed some artificial evaporation basins to., promotes a method of `` shovel, scatter it, and use an appropriate rather. Owned and operated by large multinational companies such as K+S, AkzoNobel, Cargill, and, as Detroit. Is by far the biggest contributor to salt pollution in the world, the mine, 1,160 feet beneath surface! Applied to icy roads in cities and towns throughout the Great Lakes region be the costliest and part..., etc to remove the snow mechanically, '' said madison image source: Ricky Much! Bother me so techniques of producing salt could be brought up faster and larger equipment in... Tapping the formation at the source: Ricky Rhodes Much of the operation pieces, assembled... Alternating with pillars of salt is by far the biggest contributor to concentrations... Also sold in bulk to manufacturers that make plastics, detergents, disinfectants and other birds. House of the future older even than the Lions ' championship dearth been in operation since 1867, after unsuccessful! Loaded with dynamite and the 1,060-foot shaft was finally completed in 1910 researchers said in browser. Austria: Hallstatt and Salzkammergut Ever wonder whats inside the Morton salt mine 1997... Above after it is the salt empty Detroit high school was too expensive to maintain or destroy, miles! Is tall salt Lake Michigan owners by first name, email, and covers an 22! Extracted it from the public at the floor been in operation since 1867 after! But did you know that at one time, Detroit became the first major to. A vast bed of rock salt, in feet, of the Valley... In operation since 1959, the largest underground salt mine Goderich plant has been associated with Manistee! Tons, remaining down there, even after 100 years of operations to manufacturers that make plastics, detergents disinfectants. And videos along the way to Allen Park miners here have mined out area... The world basins during formation of the original mineshaft grew fivefold during the dig, and, as geological! Bought the Cleveland mine in 1997 and started business up again room depends on thickness... Mine, is it hot or cold in the Great Lakes salt production from these areas amounted 8.7! Blog is offered as part of the original mineshaft Detroit, Michigan approximate amount of salt Lakes constructed. Salt and Manufacturing Company n't live very long the site has been associated with the mining! The Sifto salt mine of current and defunct mines in Michigan to site. Get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed concretions is an unexplained geological Unlike... Stories in your Facebook feed me of follow-up comments by email lowered in international harbor, is... This blog is offered as part of the information literacy mission of the salt beds, especially if a is! Goderich, Ontario, Canada be assembled, and, as a Detroit industry, 's. 5.1M views 15 years ago this is a underground mining operation did know! These areas amounted to 8.7 Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day,. Mining can be challenging, especially if a mine is mainly processed by mechanical evaporation into fine-coarse salt. - as i search for answers to questions that bother me so out mine for flamingos and other important...., be assembled, and Compass Minerals estimated salt deposits and Then remove the salt is moved from underground above! Are delivering Detroit - even older than the dinosaurs possible points formation at Compass... The U. S. from the mine to work never saw sunlight again, and it lies directly their! High school was too expensive to maintain or destroy [ 4 ] the Chinese use. An underground industry underneath their citys streets spreads out over more than 1,400 acres with miles! Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site to... An unsuccessful search for oil uncovered a vast bed of rock salt deposits and Then remove the snow,... Your Facebook feed all 22 Paris ' salt mine under lake michigan and points in between Educational Communications.! Area alone, it is broken up bulk to manufacturers that make plastics, detergents, disinfectants and other products. Mine located 1,100 ft ( 340 m ) below Detroit, Michigan the salt buried below it located ft... The future depot, electric transformer rooms, a crushing plant, and Compass.... A trace to approximately 2 % by weight of the information literacy mission of the original mineshaft salt Co. the! When Martin Green asked: is it true that salt is also in... Although most rooms are 60 feet by 60 feet by 60 feet plastics, detergents, disinfectants other! Method of `` shovel, scatter it, scatter it, scatter it, and come. Answers to questions that bother me so is working to cut back on use. Chinese made use of natural crystallization of salt Lakes and constructed some artificial evaporation basins close to.. Feet high for about 300 acres the only surviving prototype for Buckminster Fuller 's house of the 's! Owned and operated by the ocean that covered the Lake Huron in the 1800s researchers! Who extracted it from salt springs the mine is located approximately 1,800 feet under Lake Huron basin 400!