Miscellaneous Reports
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This collection contains miscellaneous reports from the Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI). These reports do not belong to a collection based on subject (e.g., "Minerals & Metallurgy") or format (e.g., "Technical Reports"). Some items are themselves compilations of miscellaneous reports.
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Item Monitoring Asbestos Fibers in Lake Superior(University of Minnesota Duluth, 1985) Niemi, Gerald J; Harriss, Donald KWater samples were analyzed from 40 sites at three depths (surface, middle, and 1 m above bottom) and sediment samples from 28 sites for amphibole and chrysotile asbestos fibers. Two analytical methods were used: x-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to estimate mass concentration of amphibole minerals and electron microscopy (EM) to estimate the actual number of fibers. The concentration of fibers was highest in samples collected from the western end of Lake Superior where water samples had concentrations that ranged up to 68 million fibers/1 and sediment samples up to 9.6 million fibers/mg of sediment. Amphibole fiber concentrations were moderate to low in the northern section of Lake Superior where water samples ranged from below detection up to 8.5 million fibers/1 and sediment samples ranged from below detection up to 0.5 million fibers/mg of sediment. Amphibole fiber concentrations in the eastern end of Lake Superior were much lower than in the western end. Generally, water concentrations ranged from below detection up to 1.6 million fibers/I and sediment concentrations from below detection up to .36 million fibers/mg of sediment. The origin of all fibers throughout Lake Superior cannot be determined, but the higher concentrations and the elemental composition of fibers in the western end of Lake Superior suggests that the Reserve Mining taconite facility was the major contributor.Item Chippewa Wild Rice Marketing Study(University of Minnesota Duluth, 1986-01-16) Gordon, Louise; Breton, Ernest JItem Minnesota Exploration Conference 1999 Proceedings: Lode Gold and Massive Sulfide Prospects in the Archean Western Vermilion District of Northeastern Minnesota(University of Minnesota Duluth, 1999-10)This volume contains proceedings of the Second Annual Minnesota Exploration Conference, which focuses on the Vermilion district of northeastern Minnesota. This Archean greenstone belt hosted the first commercial mine in Minnesota-the enigmatic high-grade Soudan iron mine-as well as the first reported gold in Minnesota. But more than a century after the first speculative gold rush on the shores of Lake Vermilion, the district remains poorly explored for both base and precious metals. The gold showings included on this year' s field trip are remarkable for their often accidental discovery in road cuts and in association with iron ore prospects. Part 1 of this volume includes abstracts that address the geology, mineral potential, and exploration history of the district. Southwick summarizes the geology of the Vermilion greenstone belt. Peterson and Hudak report on recent work in the Vermilion district that has resulted in the identification of volcanic massive sulfide systems unrecognized by early explorers. Ulland identifies some of the historical reasons for the lack of exploration, Dahl reviews the archived exploration data available for the district, and Lehmann outlines some of the policies and incentives that make Minnesota a good business risk as well as a good geological risk. Part 2 of this volume is the field trip guidebook, which was prepared by Dean M. Peterson, University of Minnesota - Duluth, and Mark A. Jirsa, Minnesota Geological Survey. The information was synthesized from many years of field work by the authors and other geologists along with archived geological, geochemical, and geophysical data found in the lease files of the Minerals Division of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The DNR archives contain records from at least twenty-three exploration companies that have worked in the Vermilion district.Item A Physical Inventory and Valuation of State-Owned Lands within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness - Volume 3: GIS Maps and Physical Inventory, Volume 3 of 3(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2003-01) Sjerven, Gerald; Host, Connie; Host, George E; Johnson, Lucinda B; Anderson, Curt L; Skurla, James AGeographic Information System (GIS) data layers were used to categorize DNR-administered lands within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness based on a set ofvaluation criteria. DNR lands were classified into parcels, each parcel being approximately 40 acres or less. 3253 individual parcels were included in the analysis. Valuation criteria were derived from parameters used in the assessment report, and included island parcels, parcels with shoreline frontage on lakes of various size, and parcels on oradjacent to perennial streams. The proportions ofuplands and wetlands were also included in the valuation — see key on following page for a detailed description ofthe valuation criteria.Item A Physical Inventory and Valuation of State-Owned Lands within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness - Volume 2: 2002 Appraisal Report, Volume 2 of 3(2003-01) Tom Turner & Associates; Ramsland & Vigen, Inc.Item Introducing...the Natural Resources Research Institute(University of Minnesota, Duluth, 1985) Lalich, Michael JItem Next-Gen Poplars Project: Extension Program Evaluation Report(2022) Jackson, Jeffrey; Du Plissis, John; Meyer, NathanItem Chemical Products from Peat Project(University of Minnesota Duluth, 1957-04) Passer, MosesItem Summary Report: Environmental Particulate Matter Characterization(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2019-11) Monson Geerts, Stephen D; Hudak, George J; Zanko, Lawrence M; Fosnacht, Donald RThe NRRI characterization studies provide physical (size and shape), mineralogical, chemical, geological, geographical, and historical context to the findings of the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health (SPH) and the University of Minnesota Medical School (UMMS). The SPH and UMMS findings (Finnegan and Mandel, 2014) showed that mesothelioma is associated with working longer in the taconite industry. However, the SPH and UMMS investigators “…were not able to state with certainty that the association with EMPs and mesothelioma was related to the ore dust or to the use of commercial asbestos or both.” The NRRI findings indicate the following: 1) Low concentrations of PM10, PM2.5, and EMPs in Mesabi Iron Range community air. 2) Elemental iron concentrations in MIR communities were similar to elemental iron concentrations in background sampling locations when taconite mines/plants were inactive. When taconite mines/plants were active, the elemental iron concentrations within communities were found to be statistically higher. 3) Mineralogically and morphologically, the EMPs identified in MIR communities and taconite processing plants were dominated by particles that did not fit the “countable”/”covered” classification criteria. Of the 145 “covered” EMPs identified within the six MIR taconite processing plants, a total of 8 were “countable” (NIOSH, 2011), representing 1.1% of the total number of EMPs, out of 691 total. These EMPs were detected in two taconite plants (seven in one plant and one in another); no other “countable”/”covered” EMPs were detected in the other four plants. 4) The lake sediment study returned similar results, in which 4 of the study’s 790 identified EMPs found in the lake sediment samples met the “countable”/”covered” classification. 5) In comparison to the NIOSH standard, for countable particles, the results from this study show that the community air has significantly lower amounts than the standard. 6) Only one plant and two areas in this plant had countable EMPs above the NIOSH benchmark. 7) The highest particulate matter found was for the Minneapolis reference site in comparison for the Range communities and the other two reference sites. 8) The use of MOUDI sampling techniques is a good method for better understanding not only what is in the air, but also the size of the particles that are in the air. 9) Study of lake sediment can be used to interpret some of the impacts of past industrial activities and to gain a better understanding of the impact of local geology.Item A Physical Inventory and Valuation of State-Owned Lands within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness - Volume 1: Valuation Report, Volume 1 of 3(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2003) Lichty, Richard W; Skurla, James A; Jacobson, Jean; Almquist-Minko, Vickie; Barkataki, Malita; Power, John M.; Lehnhoff, James; Anderson, Curt LItem NRRI Collection of Miscellaneous Reports Pt. 3(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2000) University of Minnesota Duluth. Natural Resources Research InstituteItem NRRI Collection of Miscellaneous Reports Pt. 2(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2000) University of Minnesota Duluth. Natural Resources Research InstituteItem Saline Waters as Indicators of Economic Mineralization(University of Minnesota Duluth, 1985-07) Morton, Penelope; Ameel, John JItem Zippel Bay: Paleolimnology Case Study (2006)(2006) Reavie, Euan; University of Minnesota Duluth. Natural Resources Research InstituteA long-term reconstruction of water quality in Zippel Bay, Lake of the Woods, Minnesota.