D. C. Jackling - Taconite Beneficiation 1953 Parallels Revolutionary Porphyry Copper Development of 1903

D. C. JACKLING, the father of the porphyry coppers, has been honored for his pioneering in that field. There is another facet to Mr. Jackling's activities, one which now may prove an even greater monument than the big coppers-the story of his venture in taconite beneficiation. The essence of his porphyry development was mass handling of material. Not alone mining on a large scale, which was done on the Mesabi Range at the turn of the century, but the integration on a previously unknown scope of mining, milling, concentration, and in many cases, of final reduction to metal at the site. This was mass production applied to mining, treatment of a very low grade source material, previously considered submarginal.