Iron Range, Mining region in northern Minnesota, United States.
Iron Range covers several elongated mining areas in northern Minnesota, less than 100 miles (160 kilometers) southwest of Lake Superior. Four major iron ore deposits lie here side by side, including Mesabi Range and Vermilion Range, which stretch through forested hills and open pits.
Extraction began in the mid-1800s and turned the sparsely populated woodland into a mining zone. By the mid-20th century, the industry shifted from direct ore harvesting to taconite processing, which further changed the region.
The name comes from the iron-bearing rock layers that run in long strips beneath the surface and shaped the land. Small towns along the route still show worker settlements with simple wooden houses that tell stories of generations whose lives were defined by mining.
Chisholm offers a center with exhibits on mining history, while Hibbing has a viewpoint overlooking ongoing extraction work. Most towns lie along Route 169, which runs through the entire area and links several former pits.
At Soudan, visitors can enter an underground mine and see how tunnels reach deep into the rock. The highest points in the region rise above 2,228 feet (679 meters) and offer a contrast to the deep pits all around.
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