The Presque Isle Iron Ore Dock

Just a short jaunt away from Marquette Michigan's Historic Downtown District, along Lakeshore Drive right before you head into the beautiful Presque Isle Park is Marquette's iron ore dock, known as the Presque Isle Dock. This ore dock that towers above Marquette's Upper Harbor Marina was built in 1911 and is still serves the iron-ore industry today.

The Conversion Process Of Iron Ore

When iron ore is mined-out, typically coming from a mine from another region of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, it is crushed where by then either magnetic mechanism or a chemical process, the ore is differentiated out. A glorified corn starch serves as a binder, and is then formed into one inch diametric balls. The small ore globules are fed into a kiln fired-up to an eclipsing 2,000 degree F°. The eventuate of this process is that of taconite pellets.

The Presque Isle Docks Recipient Of Iron Ore Converted To Taconite Pellets

Typically each year the Presque Isle Dock receives about 8 million tons of iron in the form of these taconite pellets. The taconite pellets arrive to the Presque Isle Dock via railroad box-car and are dumped into steel bins underneath the railroad tracks. The First Mates' duty is to supervise the loading of the ship in a precise sequence to avert over-stressing the freighter. To payload the ship, a chute is slid to the ajar cargo hatch and a door at the bottom of the bin opens, letting the pellets to run freely into these large Great Lake vessel's. Each of the many chutes that are affixed along the docks structure expedites about 20 tons.

Great Lake Vessels Ship Taconite Pellets To Ontario Where They Become Steel

Algoma Steel in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, the area's largest integrated steel mill and located on the St. Mary's river near the Soo-Locks, is the recipient of the vast majority of these pellets. At Algoma Steel these pellets, which are roughly 70% iron, are combined with two other elements; coke and limestone, where they then become steel.

Witness Part Of The Action At Presque Isle Dock When Visiting Marquette Michigan

When you are visiting the magnificent Marquette Michigan area, be sure to take some time to observe these Great Lake freighters being loaded with their booty of iron ore. This process can be witnessed right from your car or you may get out and take photographs of this fascinating operation in process, for your only an iron-ore pellets toss away; your that close!

More Information Can Be Found About The Presque Isle Dock In Marquette Michigan

For more information when these behemoth Great Lake vessels arrive at the Presque Isle Dock and are being put through the motions of this action in progress call: (906) 228-7749

Source: Marquette County