Silver Ridge is an important mining area in northeastern Ironwood County, known for its rich deposits of iron ore and coal. The operation is managed by the Silver Ridge Iron & Mining Partnership and still depends heavily on manual labor, basic machinery and animal power.
Silver Ridge takes its name from the silver vein that first attracted prospectors to the area. The deposit proved shallow and was soon exhausted, but further excavation revealed substantial reserves of iron ore and coal. Even so, miners and investors still hope that richer silver deposits may lie deeper within the ridge.
The mine is operated by the Silver Ridge Iron & Mining Partnership, while foreman Charles Cole oversees its daily activity. Workers extract, sort and prepare ore and coal for transport using picks, carts, ropes and simple lifting systems, with part of the mineral later processed elsewhere in the county.
Mining at Silver Ridge remains demanding and dangerous, with cave-ins, bad air, unstable tunnels and exhaustion posing constant risks to the crews.
Notes
- Mining Partnership — The operation is backed by a group of local investors.
- Iron Ore & Coal — The mine produces two of the county’s most important raw materials.
- Frontier Mining — Extraction still depends largely on manual labor and simple equipment.