Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties

Bessemer's earth science class explores Porkies mining

PORCUPINE MOUNTAINS - The A.D. Johnston High School's earth science class recently traveled from Bessemer to the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park for a copper mining field trip.

Students started at the visitor center and then traveled to the miners camp at the entrance to the Carp Lake mine.

Park interpreter Bob Wild of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources explained how the mine started in 1928 and stretches 1,400 feet into the escarpment where it forms a T, going 600 feet to the west, 400 feet to the east and an additional 200 feet forward. The mine was originally supposed to...