Wabush - A $300-Million Iron Operation

Wabush Mines is the largest single supplier of iron ore to the Canadian steel industry, with 42% of its 6 million tpy of iron ore production going to the company's two Canadian owners-The Steel Co. of Canada and Dominion Foundries and Steel Ltd. Six other companies hold interests in Wabush Iron Co. Ltd. These are Lykes-Youngstown, Inland Steel Co., Intrerlake Steel Corp., Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Co., Finsider of Italy and Pickands Mather & Co. Field work on Wabush began in mid-1957 when a long-range program of economic, geologic, and metallurgical investigations started. This work was followed in 1959 by the construction of a temporary camp and a 700-tpd pilot plant. At the same time, work was also started on a 38-mi railway connection to Ross Bay, Newfoundland.