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The following was written in 1907 by Henry C. Beeler, State Geologist.

The iron from Wyoming is produced from one point, at Sunrise, in northeastern Laramie County, where the mines of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company are situated. This ore all goes to the Pueblo, Colorado, works, where it is made up into steel for all purposes. This ore is hematite, practically free from sulphur and other detriments, running about 64, per cent metallic iron, and is suited for the finest Bessemer steel. These mines first became famous for the open cut-steam shovel method used, as the deposits are huge bodies lying on the schists and partially covered by the Carboniferous limestones, with a deep canon cutting through the deposit. At present, however, a modern shaft, with steel gallows frame and cage equipment, is used and the ore mined by the usual stope system.

Other deposits of similar iron ores are known at Rawlins, Carbon County, where the deposit has been extensively prospected by the diamond drill method, and at Seminole, forty-five miles north of Rawlins, the latter having been held for many years by some Troy, N. Y., people. During the past year considerable inquiry has been directed to this latter section, and some work done there on copper as well as iron, all looking to an extension of the known field, but so far no results have been made public.

Fifty miles north of Cheyenne there is a wonderful deposit of titaniferous iron ore, known as Iron Mountain, and many attempts have been made to use it for various purposes, but without success. At the present writing, however, there is a company formed which has perfected title to a desirable portion of this deposit, and is moving to make it a commercial proposition on an extensive scale.

Last Update 07/24/01

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