Meet the Toxic Sand Vacuum | Torch Lake, Michigan

[@keithrheault5110]

My wife's grandfather operated that dredge. He also ran a boat that had a air pump hooked to a diver who cleaned the intake pipe at Calumet water works.

[@WarPigstheHun]

I wonder what it was like, working underwater, at the bottom of the lake...

[@lukecole8320]

Absolutely incredible working conditions I bet!

[@deandee8082]

oh yea, well my grandfather was inmate of the month at san quentin's death row!

[@SECONDQUEST]

Horrifying

[@bold810]

My friend's dad was a dredge operator on the Sacramento/San Pablo bay, my grandfather, a WW1 vet worked as an engineer at Kaiser shipbuilding near Mare Island during WW2. He helped build the ship his Son, my Dad, shipped out in the Pacific theater on , in 1944. Ms. Alexis, thank you for your time. 🎉

[@AlexisDahl]

A couple small corrections, courtesy of the good folks of the Keweenaw! - Pronunciation correction: I misread "Hecla" as "Helca" just about every time I looked at the word, so I transposed two of the letters. - At 4:51, the reclamation plan ruins are... well, clear in the opposite direction that I'm gesturing. The map I used could have been better! Thanks to everyone who helps keep me as accurate as possible! Being able to hire a fact-checker is high on my goals list.

[@backwashjoe7864]

You can also just crowd source the fact checking. To paraphrase Mark Twain, "the easiest way to generate KZbin comments is to post something with mistakes." :) I'm having a blast working my way through your back catalog after discovering your channel this month!

[@Fishbonethedog]

As a Michigander and former MTU student, it makes me happy seeing The Dredge again. Its a haunt for many students and while not the safest, was always an interesting climb. While the environmental impact may not be the best and the situation is definitely complicated, it definitely has a communal aspect to it for at minimum a lot of students of the area.

[@Xinuka]

@Repent and believe in Jesus Christ durRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR IMMMA ROBOTTTT

[@boywhohasl1vedhascometodie469]

It the lake was toxic to begin with, idk. Idk how this would be impacting the environment if it was already like that to begin with.

[@dezznutz3743]

The environmental impact at this point is extremely minimal. She is just another KZbinr with limited insight.

[@cartmanrlsusall]

@Repent and believe in Jesus Christ no thanks sin is awesome

[@papadave3084]

@dezz nutz Limited insight? Okay, then, do you care to impart your vast knowledge to the rest of us regarding the environmental impact this dredging operation has had over the years? Just a hunch, but I suspect Alexis has done more research on this matter than you. However, I could be wrong, and you may be a chemist or perhaps a historian who knows quite a bit about the Michigan copper industry. Please enlighten us. ~Cheers from Michigan

[@orionthestars1459]

I'm blown away you don't have more subscribers. You have an amazing personality, and have a great story telling voice. Glad I stumbled upon this video.

[@charlesscott1493]

Mining engineer here. Nice job on the video. By the early 1900s, with copper flotation it was pretty easy to get 80% or more recovery of the copper so the dredging and reprocessing of the stamp sands would have been economically viable and ecologically beneficial. Your presentation of flotation was particularly good. We need people with your skills in our industry.

[@alexdrockhound9497]

Any advice for getting into mining engineering? I just graduated with a degree in geological engineering with a minor in mining engineering and i can't even get a mining company to call me back for an interview. Ive applied to all sorts of intro level jobs from regular geology, ore control, and exploration, all the way up to intro level geotechnical engineering and mining engineering positions, and im feel like im not getting close yet to getting a job at a mine. Any help would be really appreciated.

[@winterwatson6437]

‘ecologically beneficial’ must mean something different than i thought

[@alexdrockhound9497]

@@winterwatson6437 copper is really toxic. If the dredged the millings, and processed it again to remove even more of the copper than the first time, it would significantly reduce the amount of pollution being produced.

[@alexdrockhound9497]

@@winterwatson6437 copper is really toxic. If the dredged the millings, and processed it again to remove even more of the copper than the first time, it would significantly reduce the amount of pollution being produced.

[@aaronring4704]

Not the Michigan Torch Lake I was expecting when I clicked on the video, but the story completely tracks for that part of Michigan! Well worth the watch!

[@j.r.3215]

Me either, I spent a lot of time in Alden as my Aunt and Uncle owned the Lumber yards in the area. I would help them out when I was not flying.

[@auntbeth448]

Same here! Grew up on Torch Lake..between Elk Rapids and Eastport...miss the lake terribly...

[@phillipgarrow2297]

I thought the same thing I didn't know there was a torch lake in the UP

[@christopheroliver148]

Being a Traverse City native, I was similarly confused. Did the RAT (Ride Around Torch) put on by the local bicycle club a long time ago; that started at the Elk Rapids High School.

[@entropynetwork]

Hi Alexa. I am a metallurgist in the Great Lakes region. This video significantly increased my understanding of the local Superfund challenges and of hydrometallurgy overall. Thank you!

[@andrewhallock2548]

I found my way here from Tom Scott's newsletter. I'm glad I did. I lived in the lower peninsula of Michigan growing up and had no idea how the copper mining up north worked. Thank you for helping me learn more!

[@AlexisDahl]

Hey, thanks so much! I really appreciate that. I also grew up in the lower peninsula, and have been learning so much since I moved up to the UP. Thanks for learning along with me!

[@darkmann12]

Newsletter squad!

[@Sivah_Akash]

Also came here from the newsletter. I lived in Ann Arbor for the past two years and have always wanted to visit UP, but unfortunately was unable to.

[@stonecoldaustin6282]

There's something else you can learn that we have gold all over the state of Michigan. A lot more on the lake Superior shorts. But there's gold

[@thesquirrel905]

Who is Tom Scott?? Is he like a local there that is up on all the knowledge of the lake.

[@greg227]

Alexis, My grandfather worked for Quick from 1907 to ~1963 when he retired. Visiting him was a thrill because he was a wealth of information, and shared with me a lot of info at my very young age until he had a stroke. He had a number good friends who work there before mining operations stopped, they would drop in after he passed in 1972. I learned a lot from them about the processes and one of them arranged for me to talk to people at the Quincy office in town where i was handed a bunch of boxes of material relating to the mining operation. While I learned as much as I could, life got in the way of continuing any research and MTU had received most of the Information from Quincy. One of the things I learned about was the use of a few chemicals in metal recovery, one of them was mercury (I don't remember how it was used) but the waste was dumped in Torch Lake and the Canal. I remember visiting where they had large pans that would be heated with tailings and stamp sand in them using mercury mixed in with other chemicals (this was shut down by the time I saw it). Another was Arsenic which was used in a slurry made of tailings in drums which after recovery of copper the used mixture was also dumped into the lakes. So you know, they knew exactly how the process you describe worked. It was figured out before the recovery started, there were a number of chemists who worked on reclamation of copper and silver (a lot of silver came out of the mines up there) and recovery was talked about in the journals before 1905.

[@thedude_-__-_7528]

Wow! 56 years he worked at the same company. I'm just trying to imagine myself working for the same place for that long.

[@missingremote4388]

Back then a dollar was worth a dollar

[@somethingsomething404]

@@thedude_-__-_7528 everyone used to work for 1 company for their whole career. Not so much now

[@seldoon_nemar]

They figured out a working process, but could not explain *why* it worked. Also, Mercury and arsnic were super common in gold processing as well, because mercury sticks to and absorbs gold, so they would just pour it into their sluice boxes, which were just fed by diverted streams and such... People still find the gold/mercury amalgum in waterways to this day

[@carlinshowalter1806]

@@thedude_-__-_7528 My father set the record at 47 years at the Cessna Aircraft hydraulic plant he worked at. The only job I remember him having. He's 83 years old now.

[@gemista]

Wow! I live in Houghton, a five minute drive south from there and it is downright trippy that somebody mentioned the Keweenaw, no less my neighborhood! It's great to hear somebody talking about the rich history of the Copper Country.

[@trainnerd3029]

I’ve been to your neck of woods an insane amount of times but only in the winter… Next summer, the wife and I are going up there with our camper!

[@sierrafoxtrotgolf3638]

I'm from NE MN and drove past the dredge while visiting a friend in Eagle Harbor last summer. Like the UP, northeastern Minnesota has gone through several changes, first mining high grade iron ore until it was depleted. We then began mining lower and lower grades of ore. We too use ball and rod mills to liberate the ore from the ore-bearing rock. Your presentation was lively, fact-packed, and fun. Thanks so much for sharing your time, talents and enthusiasm.

[@kathyu4953]

to clarify my comment, the mining company mentioned was Calumet and “HEC-la,” not “HEL-ca.” Also “Torch Lake, Michigan” is a town in lower Michigan. Torch Lake in this video is simply a lake in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan bordered by several small towns.

[@billbradleymusic]

That's a huge difference in location.

[@michaelmaas5544]

I live on Torch lake in the LP and saw this video title and picture I was like WTH I’ve never seen this anywhere on the lake lol

[@michaelmaas5544]

@@clarkdavis3588 I grew up in Elk Rapids and know the area and it’s history quite well

[@michaelmaas5544]

@@clarkdavis3588 There was a lot of iron processing places in the area years ago and East Jordan Iron works is still cranking out manhole covers, they built a new place about 10 years ago. We had a lot of snow last weekend but it’s all gone now and if the forecast holds true we’re not going to see anymore in the next few weeks.

[@johnmarker1748]

@@michaelmaas5544 East Jordan Iron Works started production at new facility Dec of 2018.

[@objuan6]

I used to ride bicycle in that area, 60s, early 70s, before fences, EPAs. Lots of great explore. You, are ExploreodoraExtraOrdinaire, and have been Detectifying up a storm! Bravo!

[@Hankitect]

Wow! I never knew Michigan had two Torch Lakes. I spent summers at Torch Lake in Bellaire, in the norther lower peninsula. This is a neat surprise and piece of trivia I can share with my family in the Les Chenaux Islands in the U.P. I bet they too, know little to nothing about this Torch Lake. Thanks for the video.

[@auntbeth448]

Same here! Grew up on the west shore of (LP) Torch halfway up from Elk Rapids...miss the lake - we used to go to Bellaire for the movies! :-)

[@food4thot2]

Michigan also has two Portage Lakes. The UP one is connected to Torch Lake. Remember watching copper ore freighters pass at my parents cottage on Portage Lake.

[@JREwing78]

25 years ago, it was possible to go inside the dredge and look around. Not particularly safe (or legal) to do so then, but it was really cool to look at. When the EPA superfund restoration work took place to stabilize the stamp sand and minimize further runoff into Torch Lake, fencing was put up that closed off access to it. I would love to see KNHP attempt to preserve it as it helps tell the story of the mining operations there.

[@ILiketoBreakStuff]

You can still get on it lol. The fence even has openings to allow foot traffic.

[@yvesleroux9313]

And who will finance that?

[@djfitzgerald111]

IIRC, the largest copper "nugget" ever found, came from one of the areas mines.

[@dean4069]

@@djfitzgerald111 my buddy and I found a two thousand pound bolder of copper metal detecting around copper harbor a couple summers ago.

[@semperfi6801]

Alexis, I think KZbin suggested your site because I've watched many videos on heavy equipment machinery and its multitude of uses. The typical guy that likes big toys type of mentality. I'm so happy KZbin brought me to your site. Your love of what you do, your extremely happy and glowing personality, and, more importantly, the level of passion you display in your videos are addictive. I will subscribe and look forward to viewing some of the many videos you've posted. Please continue making us smarter and brightening our days with your glowing personality. Thanks again and my best to you and your family.

[@trolltaker]

So exciting! Both my uncle and my father worked in the Quincy reclamation plant. My uncle lived in one of the tiny company houses there, with his wife and 3 children. My father only worked there for a brief time, somewhere around maybe 1963 or so. He brought me to work one day and gave me a tour of the place and told me how it worked, and you were right-on! He showed me the ball mills (and the big iron balls that did the crushing). He told me about the pine oil (the entire building smelled of it) and the flotation tanks. There were also huge shaker tables, as I recall. I love those dredges (I say "those" because I remember when both of them were visible). I see it as history, not junk. I guess everything goes through a junk phase before it becomes history if manages to survive. BTW, you will also find dredges like those up in Alaska.

[@ryanthescion]

I’ve explored this thing more times than I can remember, never knew about the copper flotation and reclamation. Thanks for doing all of this research and putting together such wonderful videos! I am incredibly thankful to finally learn about so many of the things that have been in my life for so long. Also your animations were absolutely impeccable :D

[@AlexisDahl]

Absolutely! Thanks for enjoying this! ☺️ (Also, thanks for the kind words about the animations, too! Making them was a big learning experience!)

[@onrr1726]

Most metals are reclaimed in the same manners. I used to work for a company that made the filter presses and screens equipment for such processing. When the mining sector died in the Northeast we moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma and hung on for another 10 years till all U.S. operations were moved to Poland and Germany.

[@scottnunya1]

What did the dredge use for power? Steam?...

[@SabbaticusRex]

@@scottnunya1 The souls of local children . On a brighter note the three local orphanages are no longer in operation thanks to this rusty nightmare beast .

[@evalinawarne1337]

@Repent and believe in Jesus Christ I have this scripture underlined in my BIBLE. KJV.

[@tomhenkel2311]

If you really want to dig into the history of the Keweenaw and copper mining. read "From Cradle to Grave" by Larry Lankton. It covers the social and industrial life in the district. It's one of my favorite books and a pleasurable read. Amazon has it. I'm just an average history nerd.

[@AlexisDahl]

Thanks, Tom! That sounds fascinating. I'll genuinely add it to my reading list!

[@moron95M3]

And he's a great instructor of a Keweenaw history class if you're lucky! (not sure he's still doing it, 2010 alum here)

[@btbenedi]

@@moron95M3 I believe Lankton has retired and earned his duly deserved Professor Emeritus title, he's still heavily involved with the Archives AFAIK, I believe Bill Gale started teaching SS3541 (Copper Country history) more recently. '12 alum here

[@bixfrisbee2623]

I've climbed all over and inside the Quincy Dredge numerous times as I was a student at Michigan Technological University which is nearby and that's what many Tech students did and likely still do. In fact one year, my entire fraternity sat on the snorkel and got our picture taken. I'm glad it's not been cut up for scrap because it's really interesting to drive by (it's visible from the road) and see it's listing sunken hulk sitting there.

[@redraiderrider3289]

Everybody knows Michigan tech is "nearby". Why did you feel the need to share that?

[@warriyorcat]

Everybody in Michigan, sure, but there are plenty of non-Michiganders watching who might appreciate the comment.

[@logdog8920]

Thats another amazing story about your UP copper mining history. Back in the 1980's my father worked on a more modern dedge. They were stationed on the Mississippi River, and usually worked on sediment removal in private harbors, but sometimes worked in conjunction with the US ARMY Core of Engineers, to remove sediment in the main river channel to help with the "Tow Boat" traffic.

[@RandomDays906]

So crazy to see someone talk about something I live less than 10 miles away from! If you ever end up visiting again, consider a video on the 1913 Miner's strike, which includes a disaster that Woodie Guthrie wrote a song about, called "1913 Massacre".

[@AlexisDahl]

Oh, man! No way! That's too cool. I'm actually working on a mini-series about the Quincy Mine right now but had no idea about the Woodie Guthrie song. I'll have to check it out!

[@forrestunderwood3174]

I agree. I was going to recommend the Italian Hall disaster, which I just figured out is also called the 1913 Massacre.

[@FlatEarthFighter]

I've driven past that monstrosity so many times delivering gas and fuel to Lake Linden and have always wondered what it was used for, you did a terrific job of explaining this thing

[@AlexisDahl]

Thank you! I appreciate it!

[@gummo3873]

the earth isn't flat it's shaped like a hotdog 🌭 🙄

[@agjakku]

KZbin recommended me this, and it was such a well-made, interesting video! I'm gonna watch all of your others and subscribe, thanks for doing what you do!

[@AlexisDahl]

Hey, welcome! Thanks so much for the kind words - that's so encouraging! I appreciate you being here!

[@tiyenin]

Tom Scott recommended this video specifically, and the channel generally, in his very recently public newsletter. I'm glad he did, this was a fascinating story. Are there any plans by the local government or a non-profit fighting to at long last dismantle the equipment?

[@Davey101_]

I'm glad this was in a newsletter... I enjoy stuff on history, old engineering and waterways so this video was just right and entertaining too.

[@AlexisDahl]

Oh, amazing! That's such a good match. I'm glad you enjoyed this one!

[@RoxnDox]

Another example of why you are rapidly moving up to be one of my favorite KZbinrs. Really interesting subjects, solid research, great presentation skills, bubbly enthusiasm, and such a beautiful smile!

[@daleschroeder232]

My family and I have vacationed in the upper peninsula of Michigan since before I was born. I'm 71 now, so I've seen some of this stuff in action and in decay over the years. Your vLog is the best, simplest explanation of this process I've ever heard. Thanks for such a concise, on site explanation. A couple of years after the dredge was abandoned we were able access it and go into it while snowmobiling. Because of the angle it sits at it was like being in an amusement park fun house.

[@raysiddiqi8]

LP Torch Lake is known as the Caribbean of Michigan due to it's crystal clear waters, what a difference between the two torch lakes!

[@cavan620]

Caribbean of the Midwest but yeah it’s awesome

[@copperheadh1052]

@@cavan620 Nah, that area is the North, has nothing to do with the Midwest. If you above Iowa, you in the freaking NORTH. In the real Midwest, we also have crystal clear waters in South MO and AR. Great diving and fishing. No copper dredging just limestone mining.

[@williamyoung3340]

Yeah, that's what caught my eye. I saw Torch Lake Michigan and said wow, I've been there. Quickly realized there are at least 2 torch lakes.

[@lawrencetchen]

This was my first thought too! "I don't ever recall seeing something like that in or near LP Torch Lake..."

[@ArthurTheLibraryDetective]

​@@cavan620 😎...🙏..sorry im dumb!..you mean Lower Penninsula Mich.has a Torch Lake w Caribbean Crystal Clear water. ??🙂 Thanks for responding.💞

[@tkendall]

This is why corporations should be required to clean up their mess.

[@markfortin421]

Being a life-long Michigander...(75 yrs)...when I happened upon this doc, I had to watch it, and glad I did! Very nicely presented and you did your homework so it was smooth and interesting. FYI...The Henry Ford and Greenfield Village in Dearborn Michigan has a restored Quincy & Torch Lake locomotive on its tourist railroad, which is running around the village 9 months of the year. Very nice, well maintained railroad... Thanks Again!

[@subliminal6211]

The area behind you at 4:51 contains two stamp mill buildings, a coal dock and coal silo, a boiler building (no longer standing) and a smoke stack. The reclamation plant was behind Mason just across from Forseman rd.

[@AlexisDahl]

Thank you for this information! It looks like my source for where the reclamation plant was wasn't the best. I just pinned a comment with corrections to the top of this section!

[@DavidSellars-b8l]

You might note that the reprocessed sand was then deposited back in the lake, Sands from the Isle Royale Mine were dumped in Portage lake just east of the MTU campus. The Copper Range Company retrieved sands from Portage Lake west of Houghton and carted them to Freda on Lake Superior via the Copper Range Railroad for reprocessing. I believe that operation concluded about 1966. The Freda mill was scrapped along with the Freda branch of the COPR and the railroad entered into near retirement until it was abandoned about 1972.

[@robertcolpitts4534]

Interesting video! That is an old placer (pronounced "PLA-cer" with a short "a") gold dredge repurposed to copper tailings recovery. Ball mills and copper-flotation circuits are still used world-wide to process low-grade copper ores. I imagine there is still quite a bit of copper left in the lake sand that could be recovered and repurposed. The ultimate sustainable recycling project you might say!

[@addcooley906]

I am currently writing a paper about Torch Lake and why it's considered a "Great Lakes Area of Concern". You helped to clear a lot of things up, much appreciated!

[@suzuki06g]

As a Lower peninsula resident I found this to be really interesting, well done! You should do more videos like this, stick with Michigan or beyond, I'd watch them. ☺👍

[@BarneeFife]

Thank you for caring about the environment young lady. As an old guy with no kids, I care about what I leave behind. I do what I can, whenever I can. I know so many people WITH kids AND/OR GRANDKIDS, that are too lazy and inconsiderate to even recycle. You have a nice balance between education of previously forgotten processes and a concern for future generations I through awareness.

[@JGrogann]

Just to clear up confusion, there is a torch lake in the lower peninsula of Michigan in addition to the torch lake in the upper peninsula.

[@matheme7atica]

I am a Yooper and I love these videos! I've learned so much about the history up here in the UP, thank you for the excellent content!!!

[@rileypaine4106]

I was just recommended to check out your channel and am so happy with what I have found, it looks like you have done really great work and I can't wait to watch this channel take off!

[@AlexisDahl]

Aw, thank you! I really appreciate that. I'm glad you stopped by!

[@DjD5]

My grandfather, Juno (Waino) Turin was mine inspector in Ontonagon County for over 15 years, appointed by Governor Millikan in 1969. White Pine was the only active mine, but there were over 100 inactive mines in Ontonagon county. He had to check all the inactive mines every year. He was a consultant to the DNR on problems of unprotected mine shafts.

[@Dividuell]

Might be interesting to do a video on the petroglyphs off of Mandan road. Not much is known about them or their authenticity, but either way they are neat.

[@AlexisDahl]

Thanks for the suggestion! I've been thinking about that recently - I might have to find an expert to help me out with that one!

[@livinginthelight4002]

Lived in Hubble as a kid, my dad works in the Quincy Copper mine until it closed. We then moved to Ontonagon where I later worked in the White Pine Copper Mine until it closed. Many families followed the mines over the years as they one by one shut down.

[@jerryglazman260]

Interesting video as always. Just so you know the pine oil copper flotation process is still in use here in Arizona (copper capital of the US) and you can see it (and smell it) at work at the Mission open pit mine tour south of Tucson.

[@Nobody_Yuno]

there's copper ore that's nearly 100% copper on that island in Michigan. Its usually contaminated with silver. I know a guy that found a 3200 pound nugget about ten years ago. It was sticking out of the ground.

[@mcheles3301]

Every dredge I have worked on has sunk at least once. Dredges are normally held together with a patchwork of half cooked repairs because the company cant afford to have the dredge not pumping.

[@Rottingboards]

So someone became rich and left the mess for us to cleanup. So rich that there grandchildren's children are still reaping the benefit. And we get the bill.

[@winterwatson6437]

don’t worry, another commenter says it’s ecologically beneficial 😭😭😭

[@angelserrano4272]

Just discovered this channel, and want to say that you've definitely earned a subscription from me. One of my favorite KZbinrs is Tom Scott, as he educates on really random things that you would never know about unless for his videos. I feel like you'll be another source of random interesting information for me, and I hope millions of other people like and subscribe because of it.

[@raulleal3652]

I'm so glad I found another channel like this. Will definitely binge watch your older videos later.

[@IstasPumaNevada]

I know, right? Such a good find, and insta-subscribed.

[@AlexisDahl]

Aw, thanks! I appreciate you being here. :)

[@papadave3084]

Another nice video, Alexis! I've been a Michigander for 24 years, and I appreciate how you get into the history of the places you visit and research. Quite interesting! ~Cheers from Michigan

[@elfless8435]

I put this on my “must see” list on my trip to the Keewanaw in early May based on this video. I’ve learned and explored so much about that area based on your awesome videos. Can’t wait to go back and explore more stuff!

[@AlexisDahl]

Oh, man, that's amazing! Thanks so much for this note! 🥳☺

[@bradgotschall3259]

Great video. So much interesting history in Michigan UP. One of our favorite getaway areas. We visited Quincy mine in 2000. They gave an explanation that while the huge “nuggets” of copper were found in the mine and certainly impressive, it was more cost effective and easier to go after the copper in the “sand” as it was easier to bring out and process. Also mentioned declining prices following WWII as well as cheaper foreign imports as being the demise of the mine. Regardless that mine and others of its ilk have played a large role in our Industrial Revolution and history. Most older American homes probably have at least a trace or more of MI copper in their wiring and appliances. Thanks for posting 👍😊

[@yooperheart1]

Girl!!! Thank you for being interested in history that is still being created .... daily! ❣💝❣👍👍👍👍

[@AlexisDahl]

Aw, thanks, Ingrid! I really appreciate that!

[@rand49er]

That was a fun video. Thanks. Reminds me that people prior to about 1970 used to abuse the environment mercilessly by discarding anything they didn't want anymore into lakes, rivers, etc. They had no thought that it might be harmful for a long, long time. Fortunately, we have much greater awareness now, and we're getting better all the time.

[@randallwoodruff2108]

Great video! I frequently find myself researching old and or abandoned industrial sites which mostly confuses other people. It was really great to see you dig into all the details!

[@AlexisDahl]

Thanks, Randall! And ha, I hear you about the confusion. It's cool that you're into that sort of research, though! Are there any particular sites that have really fascinated you?

[@randallwoodruff2108]

@@AlexisDahl Yes! I had some business in an industrial area and thought the road layout was very odd, with a lot roads dead ending in ways that made little sense. I look at the satellite imagery from Google maps and saw evidence of what I thought were extensive abandoned roads. I shared this with one of my friends and they figured out it was the former site of the Nixon Niter works and then the Raritan arsenal. (the roads were actually train tracks) The site could still have munitions, is private property and has some important infrastructure onsite so I sadly will not go in on foot. Still a neat place though! For reference the site is dead south of the Raritan Convention Center is Edison NJ. We have A LOT of interesting industrial sites here.

[@ender_slayer3]

Learning more about my old home state always makes me happy. Michigan will always be home to me.

[@DanPlusWater]

Great video. Good job with the history. Nice to see more KZbin members taking interest in things connected to our numerous bodies of water in my home state of Michigan.

[@tuxedotservo]

If you really want to see stamp sand, go to Portage Lake. There is (or was, 20ish years ago) a large peninsula of the stuff. Look for the area that is literally a gray/black wasteland. The area wastewater treatment plant is located on "the sands" in Portage Lake. The Portage Lake sands have (had?) no red color. I actually lived for a summer on The Sands - I thought I was on the moon. Nothing really grows in the stuff. Before I left, they brought in topsoil and turned a small area of stamp sand area into a housing development on the water, but the vast majority of it was still stamp sand. There is also a beach worth of the stuff at the north entry to the Portage Lake Ship Canal.

[@redspy6018]

That machine looked like a blender 3d modeled artwork in a way that I can't explain, and the emotion it induces is closest to nostalgia, even though I only took up 3d modeling around November last year.

[@AlexisDahl]

Ooh, I didn't think about it that way, but you're totally right. (Also, that's super cool you got into 3D modeling! That's a world of mystery to me but sounds like a blast. Out of curiosity, how did you start learning more about modeling?)

[@Curious0ne]

I lived in Houghton for 5 years as a child and traveled past the dredger many a time. It always fascinated me, and while I had an idea of its origin, I definitely learned a ton from your video. The UP in general deserves more recognition, even though I want to keep it on the down low for my own enjoyment!😄

[@Mark-pp7jy]

The U.P. of Michigan has an endless variety of places to explore, and you can easily see two of the Great Lakes in the span of about an hour. What's incredible to consider, is the documentation that people were mining Copper there, before the time of Christ!

[@Rusticden]

In 1972 I lived in Hubbell at the corner of Guck and Duncan . We were on the dredge numerous times and in the many mining buildings in the area. It’s to bad all the railroads and buildings were destroyed, it could have been a fantastic museum . The dredge had recently sunk and inside was a roll top desk with a logbook and paperwork. There was also tools and clothing , like workers went home for the day and never came back. I still have one of the rubber coated iron balls from the ball mill !

[@Shawn4168]

Great video! Love the energy, and your editing is excellent. And as an Ohioan, it's wonderful to discover a channel like this that focuses on science and history in the midwest.

[@AlexisDahl]

Hey, thanks so much! I really appreciate that. (I've been thinking a lot about editing/pacing in particular lately!) And totally! The Midwest has so many great stories.

[@RandomButtonPusher]

Back when my late mother-in-law was a miner's kid living up on Tamarack Hill above Hubble in the 1920s, her mother's rule was they couldn't stop wearing their winter long underwear until the ice was off Torch Lake. My late father-in-law first worked in the underground mines, then later moved to an open pit mine near Ishpeming, eventually driving one of the massive trucks that brought the ore up out of the pit. Like you, I moved to the U.P. from Lower Michigan, and one thing I had to adjust to was the hard rock geology/geography of the Marquette area where I lived. Going out hiking or trout fishing took me into a more challenging landscape than the sandy lands of the southwest L.P.

[@toddfarthing8760]

I can't believe how interesting this turned out to be, great presentation. Very educational. I like your style.

[@AlexisDahl]

Thanks, Todd! I very much appreciate that.

[@flintcoat2596]

Hello, I left you a comment on one of your videos that you did several years ago and I enjoyed that one immensely as well as this one. I can remember when that dredge was operating. I was born in 1954 by the way and the stamp sand colored Lake Superior beaches for miles! FROM west of Ontonagon to east of L'Ance. The last time that I was in that area of Michigan as a child would have been probably 1969. The summer after I married my wife in 1982 I took her on a trip to copper country and I was amazed that the stamp sand was mostly gone from the shores of Lake Superior. I have a question though. Was that stamp send removed by people? Or was it just eventually washed into deeper water by the action of the lake? I don't know the answer to that! Perhaps you do. Speaking of L'Ance, there used to be a deserted Ford motor company lumber mill, I think, north of the city. I don't know if it's still there, but you could pass on the history of the Ford motor company getting its number there for it's automobiles that required wood. Like the wood sided station wagons of the late 40s

[@LadyYoop]

This is incredible. Thank you....and yeah, it's HECK-la. But this is just so fascinating! WOW!

[@AlexisDahl]

Thank YOU! I appreciate you stopping by. (And ha ha, every time I see some mention of Calumet & Hecla now, the mispronunciation haunts me. But hey, it's burned into my brain the right way now!)

[@paulesterline5714]

I worked on a dredge way back when.... it was an interesting job. We were not dredging copper, but it was used to pull waste out of a resavor at an auto manufacturer plant.

[@BartekSoltys]

What a great video, taking a random topic like copper mining and making it sound so interesting, people often either dumb down the topic to its basics or make it way too hard to understand, you have the perfect mixture of making an informative video that anyone can understand and keeping it fun and engaging with your editing and cool graphics, really glad Tom Scott recommended it, can't wait to see more :)

[@AlexisDahl]

Thanks, Bartek! I really appreciate all of that. :) I think a lot about the risk of oversimplifying or going into too much detail, so I'm glad you enjoyed this one!

[@donjames2462]

Great video! I spend a lot of time in Houghton with family in the area. The best way to see the the sand dredge is in the winter when it is frozen in the ice. It is like a fun house with the ice level and the tilting machine, it will totally mess with your sense of balance.

[@kaiwaara]

Should checkout all the old foundations and cemetery on Cliff Drive in Keweenaw County. Eerie as can be

[@AlexisDahl]

Oh, wow. I'll have to check it out next time I'm up there! Thanks for the suggestion!

[@Woodsyintroverts]

That’s on my bucket list. We live here in the Keweenaw but have not been there yet. 🙋‍♀️💜

[@roblake4599]

Your enthusiasm for the dredge is contagious. Amazing video!

[@Yooperbuzz1]

It's pronounced Calumet (you got that right) and Hecla (Heck - la).

[@AlexisDahl]

Ahh, that makes way more sense! I must have misread it as "Helca" and got that stuck in my brain. Thanks for correcting me!

[@Killerfuzzybear]

Thank you, I picked up on that too.

[@erbewayne6868]

Calumet vied for the state Capitol back in the 1800's

[@keepontruckinoutlawlife1248]

@@AlexisDahl I live in Michigan never been there I'll have to check it out

[@naikrovek]

your subscriber count is CRIMINALLY SMALL. This channel is awesome.

[@AlexisDahl]

Aw, shucks, thank you! I appreciate that!

[@lildabz]

Very cool video. I find it kind of funny how the EPA came here and had to cover all the stamp sand (or cancer sand as I call it) because it could make people sick, yet the two County Road Commissions throw it all over in the winter. I was happy when the Dollar Bay site ran out of usable sand and instead of using a form of screened sand they moved to the Gay Sands and continue to use it. Calumet and Ripley garages order 5000 yards each for each winter. Also, as a side note, my grandfather worked on the dredge that sank in the middle of the canal. My aunt has a newspaper clipping about that dredge the day it sank and it has a picture of my grandpa "at the controls" in the article.

[@kirkygirl]

Greetings Alexis and friends! It's so interesting to see the exchange of information even back before the Internet was even a conceived idea. I say this as the Britannia Copper Mine, located at the base of the Squamish River where it meets Howe Sound, used the exact same ideas of copper production and extraction; reducing the rock to flour sand, then extracting copper in the exact same way as was described in the video, with pine oils. Likewise, Howe Sound was exceptionally polluted after the mine closed in the 1970's until recent times, when both the governments of Canada and British Columbia finally stepped in to help clean up the site, and now Howe Sound is beautiful as it ever was! Fish and marine life everywhere, and now orcas and other marine life thrives in the area. The mine itself is now a museum, and I'd encourage others to visit areas like both Quincy and Britannia to learn about the ways that things used to be done so we can learn and be better. Thanks for your time!

[@Kousha]

Even though is dangerous, I feel almost an urge to climb on it and explore around hahaha xD

[@AlexisDahl]

Ha ha, well, you definitely wouldn't be the first! I've seen all sorts of pictures of people on it... and inside of it! I opted not to go that route since I'm not sure how stable it actually is, but it definitely seems to be a local activity.

[@forfrogsnacks]

I've been in it numerous times. It's very dangerous in a some spots the floor boards are barely holding themselves up but still very cool experience. It can get weird though. After a while it starts to feel like the whole world is tilted 45°.

[@davidwrobel8089]

Honestly I think it is impossible for this lady to not smile, informative video from a historical perspective. Well done.

[@PendragonDaGreat]

Got bumped here from Tom Scott's weekly email. I love this type of video. Super informative, not trying to be a bit part, and a bit of history I wouldn't have learned otherwise. You definitely earned this sub.

[@AnastasiaCooper]

same, really glad that Tom recommended this!

[@AlexisDahl]

Aw, thank you so much! I really appreciate that. Glad you enjoyed this!

[@bradballard2538]

There is a "Torch lake" in the lower peninsula as well! Very, very clear water, I believe it's the only other place in the world comparable to the Caribbeans as far as clearity

[@ericpayne9091]

Very well done video, glad I found your channel. Will definitely sub for more cool content! (I also love the paintings you have behind you)

[@AlexisDahl]

Thanks, Eric! I appreciate you stopping by. (Also, thank you! I picked up painting within the last couple of years, and the things I've worked on make a fun background!)

[@davidschwartz5127]

Today copper is over $4.00 a pound, is there any stamp sand left in that lake?

[@rustedoutwrench]

I live like 10miles down the road and have climbed on that dredge so many times

[@carlmcdaniels1675]

Apparently there are TWO (2) "Torch Lakes" in Michigan. One in the Upper Peninsula (UP) & one in the Lower Peninsula (LP) in Antrim County near Traverse City. (Nearest Towns are Kewadin & Elk Rapids). The one in question here is the one in the UP.

[@csnide6702]

yup --- was confused by that as well..... good thing cute Alexis was here to get us informed....... 😍

[@generybarczyk6993]

"... as he stomped through the mud. But Paul Bunyan had a hole in his pocket, and his pennies fell out and into the puddles left in his bootprints. Babe, his blue ox, following along behind, ground the pennies into tiny pieces with his hooves. And that's how these lakes became EPA Superfund sites."

[@AlexisDahl]

Ha ha, oh, man. I was not expecting the last line, but it completely cracked me up.

[@caminojohn3240]

Neat. But if Stamp Sand is still in the lake and leaching metals into the water and environment, what's keeping someone from pumping / dredging the rest of the Stamp Sand out and processing it? I mean copper prices are pretty significant and you have this waste resource in the lake that needs to be removed. What's stopping them from doing it?

[@aromaticsnail]

Thanks for Tom Scott for mentioning your video!! Love how you communicate!! Looking forward to watch more science!!!

[@AlexisDahl]

Aw, thanks so much! I appreciate you stopping by!

[@ricklarouche4105]

My daughter attended School in the area, and during a trip we saw this dredge, and wondered it’s story too. Thank you for figuring this thing out, and presenting it! 🎉. By the way if they are still offering the Houghton copper mine tour, it was worth every cent and every minute..😊

[@abramsatwo2515]

And in 2023 you're filming this with a cellphone / camera that has a battery with 80% cobalt. Do a video on cobalt mining pumpkin

[@TaintedMojo]

You spelled lithium wrong

[@brianford1346]

One thing about mother nature, it always tends to heal itself. The time of man is a short time in the time of earth.

[@bold810]

Ms. Dahl, my mom is from Dearborn, she's never told me anything about MIchigan. Your my tutor and teacher about MIchigan, so I trust you not to steer me too far wrong. You seem to be a delightful and intelligent young Woman, and if I was learning about a State, of my heritage I would be charmed with you as a teacher. So I'll be looking forward to seeing your videos, and what I can learn of them. 😊🎉😊🎉

[@AlexisDahl]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate that. 🙂

[@jerroldkazynski5480]

Mineral extraction and processing always has an effect on nearby properties. More modern methods of extraction, processing, and waste disposal minimize those effects, especially where those are toxic. California has dredged tailings piles consisting of clean washed cobbles covering many acres. Now they're reused for decorative rock. Great video!

[@MachoSasq]

Just found your channel. Your energy and excitement for the stories is infectious. Keep it up; I’m in binge mode in your channel. I’ll catch up and rewatch if you’ll keep up the interesting topics. Absolutely love it; you’re gonna go far kid!

[@DCSIceman]

My grandparents used to have a cabin up on torch lake and every time we would go up to the house I always remember passing by that and wondering about it as a little kid. My dad would always tell me stories about that dredge. This was an unexpected video on my recommended and brought back some old memories.

[@jimjimsauce]

duuude you sound like you could totally be a host for educational media! something like scishow or something. your presentation is really good!

[@william6214]

Just a suggestion when you talk about torch lake . Remind people you are talking about torch lake in the upper peninsula. For those who don't know there are two torch lakes in Michigan.

[@jsned2502]

Good video. I like the way you made it informative, and mostly kept the opinion part out of it. Real journalism, real facts. NO POLOTICS

[@josephfuller272]

I was stationed in Dollar Bay, Michigan for almost five years. I saw this dredge hundreds of times and didn't know the story behind it. This is super cool!

[@coldairbuick]

Great story. I’ve been snowmobiling the Keweenaw for years and you can see the dredge from the trail in the winter when all the leaves are off the trees. That thing is huge. I believe Torch Lake is pretty deep in parts. I love the history of the U.P.

[@samfrancisco8095]

My Dad took us to Torch Lake on a few occasions as road trips as kids when visiting my Grandmother who lived in Laurium. He took us to many lakes with Lac la Belle and Bete Grise being his favorite.

[@dawnhughes9942]

I love your work! Im renovating a home in Keweenaw. Can you do a video that goes deeper into the pollution that is still left behind? Torch lake, portage lake, Calumet lake,etc could be such treasures. How many more generations before we can eat the fish? I want to plant lotus flowers because they can help remove some of the toxicity. I saw a lovely lotus remediation project at W Sterling State Park in Lake Erie. We could learn from them!

[@richardmourdock2719]

"flotation" remains one of the most economical and used separation technologies in the mining industry today. From coal cleaning plants to metal recovery operations which include lithium, when the "specific gravity" of the sought substance can be recognized, it can be floated in solutions or even in water agitated to assume a specific gravity of something other than 1.0. For example, Coal wash plants are generally operated at specific gravities from 1.55 to 1.65.