Mesabi
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Mesabi Republic | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
| Motto: "Beacon of the North" | |
| Capital | Virginia |
| Largest city | Duluth |
| Official languages | English |
| Government | Republic |
• Executive Secretary of State | Anderson M. Cooley |
• Assistant Secretary of State | Leonel R. Rasmussen |
| Legislature | Council of Representatives |
| Area | |
• Total | 35,841 sq mi (92,830 km2) |
| Population | |
• 2020 estimate estimate | 325,716 |
| Currency | Mesabi Dollar |
| Time zone | CST |
| Date format | dd-mm-yyyy |
| Driving side | right |
| Internet TLD | .MR |
Mesabi, officially the Mesabi Republic, is a self-proclaimed breakaway state in the midwest region of North America. It borders the Republic of Superior to the south, Red River to the west, Ontario to the north and Lake Superior to the east. Hosting a population of around 350,000, Mesabi has relied on taconite iron mining for its economic base. Secondary means of revenue for the country are shipping via lake freighters, or providing rail service to move products. The Republic of Superior has agreements with both Mesabi and Red River to move industrial sand to gas fields in the United Republic of Dakota. Most of the population in Mesabi is poor, relying on employment from stable industries such as mines and railroads, or resorting to subsistence farming.
Politics
The government of Mesabi is much like a publicly traded corporation. Under the charter of the republic, an elected governing body (the Council of Representatives) is responsible for legislative functions such as establishing policy, passing local ordinances, voting appropriations, and developing an overall vision, similar to a corporate board of directors. The council appoints the Executive Secretary of State (Mesabi) to oversee the administrative operations, implement its policies, and advise it. The secretary of state position is similar to that of a corporate chief executive officer appointed by a board of directors. The council and chief secretary are supported by a full-time staff, citizen commissions and many volunteer groups. Today, the typical and preferred background and education for the beginning executive secretary of state is a master's degree in public administration, and at least several years' experience as a department head in local government. However, due to lack of university educated individuals, most executive secretaries are former department heads from local government.
Public Utilities Commission:
A volunteer citizen commission that oversees the management of the department of public works in Mesabi. The department of public works ensures the continuation of available electricity, water, sewer and heating services.
Planning and Zoning Commission:
A volunteer citizen commission which work to make and adopt a master plan for the physical development of Mesabi. The master plan has the general purpose of guiding and accomplishing a coordinated, adjusted and harmonious development of the nation which will, in accordance with existing and future needs, best promote public health, safety, morals, order, convenience, prosperity or the general welfare, as well as efficiency and economy in the process of development.
Charter Commission:
The charter is the constitution for the Mesabi government, spelling out its duties and responsibilities. The Charter Commission's duty is to periodically review the charter and propose necessary amendments and reviews and recommends proposals from the public. The commission has the authority to submit proposed amendments to an election.
Economy
The world's largest open pit iron ore mine is the Hull–Rust–Mahoning Open Pit Iron Mine in Hibbing. In the early years of mining from the late 19th century until the 1950s, mining focus was on high grade ore that could be processed into steel without much change. However, when that supply dried up, focus shifted to lower-grade ore (taconite) which requires extensive processing at large mining-processing facilities before moving to port. The mined ore is then transported, primarily by the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway, to the ports of Two Harbors and Duluth. At Duluth, trains of up to eighty 100-ton open cars are moved out on massive ore docks to be dumped into "lakers" of up to 60,000 tons weight for movement to steel mills in nations located in the former states of Indiana and Ohio.
Dormant and exhausted open pit mines are a common feature in Mesabi. Some of these sites have been redeveloped for other uses. For instance, the Virginia Pilot is a project which focuses on redeveloping the grounds adjacent to the old mines into low-income residential space. The Hill-Annex Mine is now a state park and offers tours to visitors who wish to learn about mine operations. Tours are guided by former mine workers.
Currently, there are six mining-processing facilities in operation on the Iron Range. Northshore Mining has mining operations in Babbitt and crushing, concentrating (grinding) and pelletizing operations in Silver Bay, along with Great Central Mines which has mining operations in Eveleth and crushing, concentrating and pelletizing operations in Forbes. Mueller-Wallsend owns and operates the Minorca Mine and Plant with mining operations near Biwabik and Gilbert and a crushing, concentrating and pelletizing facility near Virginia. Great Central Mines owns and operates both KeeTac and Minntac with mining and processing facilities in Keewatin and Mountain Iron respectively. The last facility is Ramaut Taconite Ltd. which operates a mine and plant between the cities of Hibbing and Chisholm. Ramaut Taconite is majority owned and managed by Great Central Mines, with minority stakes held by Northshore Mining and Mueller-Wallsend.
In addition, the state-run Mesabi Metallics Corporation is constructing a mine/plant near Nashwauk that has plans to mine and process taconite. Westfield Resources L.P. near Hoyt Lakes does not mine its own material, but produces high-iron content nuggets from purchased iron ore concentrate. Magnetation, Inc. produces iron ore concentrate reclaimed from tailings with company-designed high-power magnetic separators to produce concentrate to sell and ship throughout the world.
Demographics
As of the last census, the racial makeup of the county was 96.12% White, 0.19% Black or African American, 2.15% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.08% from other races, and 1.23% from two or more races. 0.56% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 21.2% were of Norwegian, 19.8% German, 12.3% Swedish and 7.0% Irish ancestry.
Out of all households, 28.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.30% were married couples living together, 8.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.40% were non-families. 30.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.88.
The county population contained 23.90% under the age of 18, 6.40% from 18 to 24, 25.80% from 25 to 44, 26.00% from 45 to 64, and 18.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 98.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $15,110 (MRD), and the median income for a family was $22,608 (MRD). Males had a median income of $20,570 versus $10,160 for females. The per capita income for the county was $10,230.