Hull–Rust–Mahoning Open Pit Iron Mine
The Hull–Rust–Mahoning Open Pit Iron Mine in Hibbing, Minnesota, United States, is the largest operating open-pit iron mine in Minnesota. The pit stretches more than three miles (5 km) long, two miles (3 km) wide, and 535 feet (163 m) deep. It was established in 1895 and was one of the world's first mechanized open-pit mines.
Hull-Rust-Mahoning Open Pit Iron Mine | |
U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
U.S. National Historic Landmark | |
The Hull–Rust–Mahoning Mine from an overlook | |
| Location | off 3rd Avenue E., Hibbing, Minnesota |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 47°27′30″N 92°57′0″W |
| Built | 1895–present |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000904 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | November 13, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | November 13, 1966 |
The mine, located in the Mesabi Range, supplied as much as one-fourth of all the iron ore mined in the United States during its peak production from World War I through World War II. This prodigious output made Minnesota the nation's largest iron ore producer and the U.S. the world's largest steel manufacturer.
The Hull–Rust–Mahoning Mine was named a National Historic Landmark in 1966. The city of Hibbing has long maintained a public overlook and visitor center on the rim of the mine, attracting tens of thousands of tourists each year. In 2019, the overlook was to be moved as mining operations expanded.