Blast from the past

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CEDAR CITY - Iron Bull Mine last closed its doors in 1996. Now the mine has reopened for business, bringing the industry back to Iron County.

As the demand and price for iron ore have increased over the last few years, the decision was made to reopen operations at the mine, said mine superintendent Keith Gilbert.

A celebration of the opening got off to a booming start Thursday at the mine site, with guest speakers and a grand blast demonstration. The event continued with bus tours open to the community.

Steve and Dale Gilbert, the grandfather and father of Keith Gilbert, first began running the mine under U.S. Steel Company during the 1980s.

After about three years of preparation, the Gilberts are back working at the mine, this time under the Palladon Iron Corporation, Keith Gilbert said.

"This is a huge deal for our family and the community," he said. "My (grandfather and father) were in charge, now I want my turn."

Bringing iron ore mining back into the community is like revisiting some of the county's history, Keith Gilbert said.

"This is the reason we moved to Utah," he said. "There is a lot of history here."

At the ceremony, the Gilberts represented four generations of miners along with a possible future miner, Keith Gilbert's four-year-old son Kaden.

"I was his age when my dad and grandfather started here," Keith Gilbert said.

Cedar City Mayor Gerald R. Sherratt spoke at the opening about the importance of iron mining to the area.

"When the mine was in full boom, we were the third richest county in Utah," he said. "When the mine left we became the second poorest."

Although there are other enterprises keeping Cedar City growing and thriving, having the iron ore industry will benefit the economy, Sherratt said.

"In the meantime we have developed a diverse economy É but everyone is delighted that iron mining is again a vital part of the economy," he said. Alysen Pedersen, geologist at the mining site, said she has enjoyed working at the mine since it restarted operations at the site about three months ago, and getting everything ready for the opening.

"It has been hectic, but it's good for the community to come and see what the mine can bring to the area," she said.

Clyde Yates, surveyor for the site, said once the operations get into full swing and they begin transporting the ore to China, where the demand is high, there will be more jobs available beyond the current 40 positions.

"Once we get going, there will be more jobs available probably within the year," he said.

Brad Smith, mine engineer, said the opening was a good chance to show the community how everything is running.

"It's a good opportunity to show the people that we are back in the community," he said.

Smith said the miners have drawn from previous efforts at the mine and the people that worked there before.

"There are a lot of old timers still in the area, and we can draw from their expertise," he said.

Roy "Pug" Urie, former mining engineer, spoke at the ceremony about his previous years of employment at the mine.

"During the 1960's there was a 15 percent population increase," he said. "I hope we grow again this time."

During the ceremony, Dale Gilbert said he is looking forward to working at the mine again.

"We have unfinished business here. ... We are going to give it everything we've got," he said.