Monday, October 14, 2013

Museum: Mystery Monday October 14

We might as well have another mystery item.  What is in this jar?

Mystery Jar

These were not being displayed, I found them under a display cabinet in the school room.  I found a new spot for them.  Not a Hubbard County item, but a Minnesota one for sure.  I had no idea this is what they looked like.

I suppose I could give you a hint, these were from the North Shore town of Silver Bay, but they did not originate there.  Guess away.  Later in the day I will post the picture with the label.

Learn something new every day if we just take the time to look around:)

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Update: It is a jar of taconite pellets.

Taconite Pellets

Taconite is a low grade iron ore.  It is crushed and ground into a fine powder.  It is rolled into a pellet that contains 65% Iron.  The pellets are easier to transport than huge pieces of rock that contain less than 15% iron.  The pellets come by rail from the Iron Range in Northern Minnesota and are loaded on Ore Boats in Silver Bay or Duluth and head to the steel mills out east.  The Edmund Fitzgerald was loaded with  26,160 long tons of taconite pellets when it sank on November 10, 1975.

18 comments:

Primitive Stars said...

Oh you......something like acorns, not great at guessing, Francine.

thecrazysheeplady said...

I'm afraid to guess...

DJan said...

After puzzling for awhile, I don't have a clue! Something from the beach?

Beth said...

I have no idea. I will be waiting to see the answer. (Looks a bit like mud dauber nests.)

troutbirder said...

It's gotta be taconite. I almost accepted a job there once.... before the iron range economy crashed. Whew!

L. D. said...

It is taconite if came from silver bay. I at first thought it might be dried seeds until you mentioned Silver Bay. They portray taconite in the museum in Duluth with soybeans which is confusing when you see it.

lisa said...

I think they may be marbles.

Red said...

Something to do with mining or the smelting process?

Lynda said...

I thought about nuts or berries but they wouldn't have lasted this long. Maybe stones?

Anonymous said...

Interesting. I like the mystery items.

RURAL said...

I'm still stumped, going to have to look those up and figure out what they are. And yes, the dinner and desert was wonderful.

Jen

Anonymous said...

I have no idea what taconite pellets are! Some kind of rock?

Far Side of Fifty said...

Taconite is a low grade iron ore. It is crushed and ground into a fine powder. It is rolled into a pellet that contains 65% Iron. The pellets are easier to transport than huge pieces of rock that contain less than 15% iron. The pellets come by rail from the Iron Range in Northern Minnesota and are loaded on Ore Boats in Silver Bay or Duluth and head to the steel mills out east. The Edmund Fitzgerald was loaded with 26,160 long tons of taconite pellets when it sank on November 10, 1975.

Jacqi Stevens said...

Well, I guess this is one time when I don't mind arriving after the party's over...I would never have guessed. Interesting!

Pauline Persing said...

Interesting. I've learned a lot about Minnesota since I've been following your blog.

Grandma Barb's This and That said...

Oh, I should have guess that when you said they were from Silver Bay. But I have never seen the iron ore in pellets.

Lanny said...

This Puget Sounder wouldn't have guessed in a million years. Fascinating, Granted I don't have my contacts in but your clue was no help and I thought that they surely must have been old Milk Duds.

Gail said...

Wow! My Hubby has some of these. His dad gave them to him to use for sling shot ammo. His Dad worked on the railroad so I'm guessing they were loose in a boxcar.