SILVER BAY, Minn. (Northern News Now) - For decades, Reserve Mining Company provided living wage jobs for thousands of people, but at the same time risked the water supply of thousands more.

“Reserve Mining Company, taconite mine,” said Seraphine Rolando of Ely while remembering his 17 years at Reserve.

Seraphine Rolando is one of the thousands who worked at Reserve in Babbitt and Silver Bay.

So is Ed Maki, who may very well be in one of these mine buildings my father filmed in the spring of 1970.

“I worked there from 1969 to 1982 when I got laid off,” said Maki.

Ed’s family moved to Silver Bay in 1953 as the mine, plant and town were being built. World War Two ate up the Range’s high-quality hematite ore, so low-grade taconite was next.

“Reserve Mining was the first large-scale taco

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