Cargill Inc. Cleveland Salt Mine, Whiskey Island, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, USAi
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Cargill Inc. Cleveland Salt Mine | Mine (Active) |
| Whiskey Island | Island |
| Cleveland | City |
| Cuyahoga County | County |
| Ohio | State |
| USA | Country |
This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.
Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
41° 29' 35'' North , 81° 43' 7'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Mine (Active) - last checked 2024
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio City | 747 (2017) | 1.2km |
| Detroit-Shoreway | 17,382 (2017) | 1.9km |
| Cleveland | 388,072 (2017) | 2.1km |
| Clark-Fulton | 18,185 (2017) | 3.3km |
| Brooklyn | 10,899 (2017) | 6.1km |
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
| Club | Location | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| North Coast Fossil Club | Cleveland, Ohio | 2km |
| Parma Lapidary Club | Cleveland, Ohio | 2km |
| Summit Lapidary Club | Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio | 44km |
Other/historical names associated with this locality:
AKZO Salt Inc. Mine; International Salt Company Mine; Whiskey Island Mine
From Wikipedia.org:
The Whiskey Island mine is a salt mine in downtown Cleveland, Ohio owned by Cargill Deicing Technology. It is one of the largest salt mines in the world and one of two in the Cleveland area, the other being Morton Salt's Fairport Harbor mine to the east.
The mine taps under Lake Erie into the F1 unit of the Salina Formation, which is more than 70 feet (21 m) high in the area. According to mine manager Bob Supko, it is unusual for a salt mine to be located in an urban area (downtown Cleveland), but it keeps supply close to Cargill's business. The location is leased from the State of Ohio, and royalties are paid to the state and the City of Cleveland per amount of salt mined.
Access to the mine is on the shore of Lake Erie on Whiskey Island, where the above-ground facilities are located. The mine dives through limestone to a depth of 1,793 feet (547 m),a 4-minute trip by elevator, before expanding horizontally under the lake, which is only 56 feet (17 m) deep here. The mine has grown significantly over the years, from 4 square miles (10 km2) in 2013 to 12 sq mi (31 km2) in 2016 to 16 sq mi (41 km2) as of 2023. The temperature inside remains around 70 °F (21 °C) year-round.
Mining takes place using the room and pillar system. Salt is removed by drilling holes filled with ammonium nitrate, an explosive, then transported by conveyor belt and cut before it is lifted to the surface. Pillars are left behind for support and allowed to flex in a technique called "yielding pillar". There are hundreds of rooms in the mine, and each room has a height of about 25 ft (7.6 m) and an area of about 45 sq ft (4.2 m2). They branch off east and west from a 4-mile (6.4 km) primary tunnel extending to the north. According to engineer David Harris, "it’s surprisingly similar to how it was mined 50 years ago".
As of 2023, there were 223 workers at the mine. The miners are members of the union Teamsters Local 436. Equipment is transported down the mine in pieces and, once assembled, remains underground forever. Maintenance is also performed underground. The low humidity prevents the machinery from quickly rusting.
The average yield is 12,000 short tons (11,000 t) per day. According to engineering manager Bob Nelson, demand for salt is relatively stable compared to other parts of the mining industry. Superintendent Nick Newsome claims that "about 80 percent of our production goes to de-icing control". Salt is also used in the manufacture of a wide variety of materials. The mine supplies salt across the Snow Belt and was the largest supplier for Ohio in 2012. Shipping by boat takes place from April to the end of the year.
As of 2013, reserves are expected to last for another 100 years.
The Whiskey Island mine is a salt mine in downtown Cleveland, Ohio owned by Cargill Deicing Technology. It is one of the largest salt mines in the world and one of two in the Cleveland area, the other being Morton Salt's Fairport Harbor mine to the east.
The mine taps under Lake Erie into the F1 unit of the Salina Formation, which is more than 70 feet (21 m) high in the area. According to mine manager Bob Supko, it is unusual for a salt mine to be located in an urban area (downtown Cleveland), but it keeps supply close to Cargill's business. The location is leased from the State of Ohio, and royalties are paid to the state and the City of Cleveland per amount of salt mined.
Access to the mine is on the shore of Lake Erie on Whiskey Island, where the above-ground facilities are located. The mine dives through limestone to a depth of 1,793 feet (547 m),a 4-minute trip by elevator, before expanding horizontally under the lake, which is only 56 feet (17 m) deep here. The mine has grown significantly over the years, from 4 square miles (10 km2) in 2013 to 12 sq mi (31 km2) in 2016 to 16 sq mi (41 km2) as of 2023. The temperature inside remains around 70 °F (21 °C) year-round.
Mining takes place using the room and pillar system. Salt is removed by drilling holes filled with ammonium nitrate, an explosive, then transported by conveyor belt and cut before it is lifted to the surface. Pillars are left behind for support and allowed to flex in a technique called "yielding pillar". There are hundreds of rooms in the mine, and each room has a height of about 25 ft (7.6 m) and an area of about 45 sq ft (4.2 m2). They branch off east and west from a 4-mile (6.4 km) primary tunnel extending to the north. According to engineer David Harris, "it’s surprisingly similar to how it was mined 50 years ago".
As of 2023, there were 223 workers at the mine. The miners are members of the union Teamsters Local 436. Equipment is transported down the mine in pieces and, once assembled, remains underground forever. Maintenance is also performed underground. The low humidity prevents the machinery from quickly rusting.
The average yield is 12,000 short tons (11,000 t) per day. According to engineering manager Bob Nelson, demand for salt is relatively stable compared to other parts of the mining industry. Superintendent Nick Newsome claims that "about 80 percent of our production goes to de-icing control". Salt is also used in the manufacture of a wide variety of materials. The mine supplies salt across the Snow Belt and was the largest supplier for Ohio in 2012. Shipping by boat takes place from April to the end of the year.
As of 2013, reserves are expected to last for another 100 years.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsGallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 3 - Halides | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Halite | 3.AA.20 | NaCl |
| Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates | |||
| ⓘ | Anhydrite | 7.AD.30 | CaSO4 |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| O | Oxygen | |
|---|---|---|
| O | ⓘ Anhydrite | CaSO4 |
| Na | Sodium | |
| Na | ⓘ Halite | NaCl |
| S | Sulfur | |
| S | ⓘ Anhydrite | CaSO4 |
| Cl | Chlorine | |
| Cl | ⓘ Halite | NaCl |
| Ca | Calcium | |
| Ca | ⓘ Anhydrite | CaSO4 |
Other Databases
| Wikipedia: | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whiskey_Island_mine |
|---|---|
| Wikidata ID: | Q129251747 |
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
North AmericaContinent
North America PlateTectonic Plate
- Appalachian BasinBasin
- Granite-Rhyolite ProvinceMagmatic Province
- Shawnee DomainDomain
This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to
visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders
for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.
Cargill Inc. Cleveland Salt Mine, Whiskey Island, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, USA