Ropes Mine, Ishpeming, Marquette Co., Michigan, USA

Refs.:

Rocks & Min.: 58:112

Dana 6: 1086.

Fountain, D. (1992) "Michigan Gold", Lake Superior Port Cities Inc., Duluth, MN.

The Ropes Mine is a gold mine in the Ishpeming Gold Range.

In 1881, former druggist, postmaster, and school board member Julius Ropes discovered gold among the serpentine rocks north of the town of Ishpeming, which prompted him to form the Ropes Gold and Silver Company to exploit that discovery. Mining and stamp-milling operations began in earnest in 1883 with the sinking of the Curry Shaft and continued until financial troubles forced closure of the mine in 1897. Fifteen levels had been developed to 813 feet depth. $645,792 worth of gold was shipped during this period, extracted by the mercury amalgam process.

Corrigan, McKinney and Co. purchased the mine property and, using the newly-developed cyanide leaching process, reclaimed nearly $200,000 in gold from the tailings during 1900 - 1901. Additional gold was gleaned from scraps of mercury amalgam recovered throughout the mill buildings.

The mine changed hands numerous times without further production until the inflation of the 1970s drove up gold prices enough to prompt Callahan Mining Co. to purchase the property and invest in exploration and rehabilitation of the mine. Mining resumed in 1983 with the sinking of a truck decline to 900 feet depth, and a new shaft was sunk in 1984, with workings reaching 1548 feet depth. Ore rock was trucked to the pellet plant of the retired Humboldt Iron Mine for gold extraction. Operations continued despite the the collapse of the uppermost levels into huge stope in 1987. The hole was filled with sand and mining carried on until expensive repairs and falling gold prices prompted closure in 1991 of the only profitable gold mine in Michigan's history.