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105-683: The Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park is a Minnesota state park at the site of the Soudan Underground Mine , on the south shore of Lake Vermilion , in the Vermilion Range (Minnesota) . The mine is known as Minnesota's oldest, deepest, and richest iron mine. It formerly hosted the Soudan Underground Laboratory . As the Soudan Iron Mine , it has been designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark . In

210-469: A palisade erected around the encampment on Pike Island, just below the fort, to protect native people from the soldiers and settlers. Conditions there were poor and between 125 and 300 died of disease. Around 400 Dakota men were tried after the war. 303 were sentenced to death, but Abraham Lincoln reviewed the convictions and approved 39 of the death sentences. In December 1862, 38 of them were hanged. In early 1863, Ramsey resigned as governor to become

315-426: A $ 70M donation from T. Denny Sanford . The State of South Dakota also contributed nearly $ 70 million to the project. Sanford Lab's depth, rock stability and history make it ideal for sensitive physics experiments that need to escape high energy cosmic radiation from the sun. Additionally, the facility is used for researchers studying geology, biology and engineering. DUNE , LBNF/hosted by Fermilab: Scientists with

420-497: A diverse population in terms of age, birthplace, ancestry, and socioeconomic status, with a well-educated populace and a median household income around $ 77,000. Minnesota's racial demographics have significantly diversified since its early settlement period. As of 2020, according to U.S. census data, the white population had fallen to 77.5% from over 98% in the early to mid-20th century. Concurrently, other racial populations have markedly increased. The Black population has risen to 7%,

525-741: A pioneer in neutrino research, built a solar neutrino detector deep underground at Sanford Lab. When he discovered only a third of what had been predicted, he inadvertently created what came to be called the “solar neutrino problem.” Other experiments— Sudbury Neutrino Observatory in Canada and the Super Kamiokande in Japan—vindicated Davis's work, earning him a one-fourth share of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2002. The Education and Outreach program

630-499: A third of the state forested . Nearly all Minnesota's prairies and oak savannas have been fragmented by farming, grazing, logging, and suburban development. While loss of habitat has affected native animals such as the pine marten , elk , woodland caribou , and bison , others like whitetail deer and bobcat thrive. Minnesota has the nation's largest population of timber wolves outside Alaska, and supports healthy populations of black bears , moose , and gophers . Located on

735-560: A variety of disciplines. The facility is managed by Black Hills State University and houses five operational LBCs. These LBCs use germanium detectors housed in lead brick containers to screen materials, identifying ionizing radiation released by a material over time as its radioactive elements decay. This counting process helps researchers decide which types of materials are best-suited for their experiments. It also provides data to researchers, allowing them to calculate how much radioactivity they can expect to see coming from their materials over

840-681: A vast wilderness of pine and spruce trees mixed with patchy stands of birch and poplar . Much of Minnesota's northern forest has undergone logging, leaving only a few patches of old growth forest today in areas such as the Chippewa National Forest and the Superior National Forest , where the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness has some 400,000 acres (162,000 ha) of unlogged land. Although logging continues, regrowth and replanting keep about

945-767: A water-deionization system, cleanroom and control room for researchers. The researchers outfitted the Davis Cavern with a xenon purification system, servers, electronics and the experiment itself. All these are in service once again for the next-generation dark matter experiment, LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ). On the 4850 Level, the Black Hills State University Underground Campus (BHUC) houses Sanford Lab's low-background counting facility—a class-1,000 cleanroom containing several ultra-sensitive low background counters (LBCs) used to assay materials for ultra-sensitive experiments—and an adjoining workspace can be used for

1050-508: Is Bloomington's Mall of America . Minnesota is one of 45 U.S. states with its own lottery ; its games include multi-jurisdiction draws , in-house draws, and other games. Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory Sanford Lab is managed by the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority (SDSTA). SURF operations are funded by the U.S. Department of Energy through Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and through

1155-566: Is a state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the south, and North Dakota and South Dakota to the west. It is the 12th-largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd-most populous , with around 5.75 million residents. Minnesota

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1260-601: Is a 72-mile-long (116 km) corridor along the Mississippi River through the Minneapolis–St. Paul Metropolitan Area connecting a variety of sites of historic, cultural, and geologic interest. Saint Paul , in east-central Minnesota along the banks of the Mississippi River, has been Minnesota's capital city since 1849, first as capital of the Territory of Minnesota , and then as the state capital since 1858. Saint Paul

1365-504: Is a 780 square-foot laboratory with a class-1000 clean room. This laboratory provides space for researchers to clean and assemble parts of their experiments, before transporting them underground. To accommodate these processes, the SAL includes aluminum sheeting; air locks; a hoist; a 12-foot-deep pit for large assembly projects; and a radon-reduction system. Since Sanford Lab began operating in 2008, billions of gallons of water have been treated at

1470-464: Is a collaborative venture between Sanford Lab and Black Hills State University (BHSU). The program provides resources for regional educators including 9 assembly programs, 13 curriculum modules and 12 field trips in an effort to promote STEM education. Sanford Lab also hosts public outreach events, including Deep Talks Science for Everyone series and a city-wide science festival, Neutrino Day, which draws 1,500 attendees annually. While public tours of

1575-815: Is adjacent to Minnesota's most populous city, Minneapolis; they and their suburbs are collectively known as the Twin Cities metropolitan area , the country's 16th-largest metropolitan area and home to about 55% of the state's population. The remainder of the state is known as " Greater Minnesota " or "Outstate Minnesota". The state has 17 cities with populations above 50,000 as of the 2010 census. In descending order of population, they are Minneapolis , Saint Paul , Rochester , Duluth , Bloomington , Brooklyn Park , Plymouth , Saint Cloud , Woodbury , Eagan , Maple Grove , Coon Rapids , Eden Prairie , Minnetonka , Burnsville , Apple Valley , Blaine , and Lakeville . Of these, only Rochester, Duluth, and Saint Cloud are outside

1680-670: Is developing a deep seismic observatory for scientific investigations, sensor technology development and safety at the Sanford Lab. LUX: In May 2016, the Large Underground Xenon experiment (LUX) completed its experimental run. Although it didn't detect dark matter, it was declared the most sensitive dark matter detector in the world at the time. kISMET: The kISMET (permeability (k) and Induced Seismicity Management for Energy Technologies) drilled and cored five 50-meter deep boreholes to learn more about rock structure. The experiment

1785-518: Is known as the Driftless Zone for its absence of glacial drift . Much of the remainder of the state has 50 feet (15   m) or more of glacial till left behind as the last glaciers retreated. Gigantic Lake Agassiz formed in the northwest 13,000 years ago. Its flatbed now is the fertile Red River valley, and its outflow, glacial River Warren , carved the valley of the Minnesota River and

1890-524: Is known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes"; it has 14,420 bodies of fresh water covering at least ten acres each. Roughly a third of the state is forested . Much of the remainder is prairie and farmland. More than 60% of Minnesotans (about 3.8 million) live in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area, known as the "Twin Cities", which is Minnesota's main political , economic , and cultural hub and

1995-627: Is now Minnesota formed part of the vast French holding of Louisiana , which the United States purchased in 1803. After several territorial reorganizations, the Minnesota Territory was admitted to the Union as the 32nd state in 1858. Minnesota's official motto, L'Étoile du Nord ("The Star of the North") is the only state motto in French . This phrase was adopted shortly after statehood and reflects both

2100-681: Is relatively unique among Midwestern states in being a reliable base for the Democratic Party , having voted for every Democratic presidential nominee since 1976, longer than any other U.S. state. Since the late 20th century, Minnesota's economy has diversified away from traditional industries such as agriculture and resource extraction to services, finance, and health care. Minnesota is home to 11 federally recognized Native American reservations (seven Ojibwe, four Dakota), and its culture, demographics, and religious landscape reflect Scandinavian and German influence. This heritage continues to affect

2205-455: Is the largest at 962,700 acres (389,600 ha; 3,896 km ) and deepest (at 1,290 ft (390 m)) body of water in the state. Minnesota has 6,564 natural rivers and streams that cumulatively flow for 69,000 miles (111,000 km). The Mississippi River begins its journey from its headwaters at Lake Itasca and crosses the Iowa border 680 miles (1,090 km) downstream. It is joined by

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2310-535: The 16th-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. Other minor metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas include Duluth , Mankato , Moorhead , Rochester , and St. Cloud . Minnesota, which gets its name from the Dakota language , has been inhabited by various Native Americans since the Woodland period of the 11th century BCE. Between roughly 200 and 500 CE, two areas of the indigenous Hopewell tradition emerged:

2415-620: The Dakota name for the Minnesota River , which got its name from one of two words in Dakota: " mní sóta ", which means "clear blue water", or " Mníssota ", which means "cloudy water". Early explorers interpreted the Dakota name for the Minnesota River in different ways, and four spellings of the state's name were considered before settling on "Minnesota" in 1849, when the Territory of Minnesota

2520-699: The Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 provided the tribes with a mechanism of self-government. This gave Natives a greater voice within the state and promoted more respect for tribal customs because religious ceremonies and native languages were no longer suppressed. After World War II, industrial development quickened. New technology increased farm productivity through automation of feedlots for hogs and cattle, machine milking at dairy farms, and raising chickens in large buildings. Planting became more specialized, with hybridization of corn and wheat, and farm machinery such as tractors and combines became

2625-624: The Laurel complex in the north, and Trempealeau Hopewell in the Mississippi River Valley in the south. The Upper Mississippian culture , consisting of the Oneota people and other Siouan speakers, emerged around 1000 CE and lasted through the arrival of Europeans in the 17th century. French explorers and missionaries were the earliest Europeans to enter the region, encountering the Dakota , Ojibwe , and various Anishinaabe tribes. Much of what

2730-491: The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources . The Chippewa and Superior national forests comprise 5.5 million acres (22,000 km ). The Superior National Forest in the northeast contains the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness , which encompasses over a million acres (4,000   km ) and a thousand lakes. To its west is Voyageurs National Park . The Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA)

2835-615: The Minnesota River at Fort Snelling, by the St. Croix River near Hastings , by the Chippewa River at Wabasha , and by many smaller streams. The Red River drains the northwest part of the state northward toward Canada's Hudson Bay. Approximately 10.6 million acres (4,300,000 ha; 43,000 km ) of wetlands are within Minnesota's borders, the most of any state outside Alaska. Minnesota has four ecological provinces: prairie parkland, in

2940-666: The Mississippi Flyway , Minnesota hosts migratory waterfowl such as geese and ducks , and game birds such as grouse , pheasants , and turkeys . It is home to birds of prey , including the largest number of breeding pairs of bald eagles in the lower 48 states as of 2007, red-tailed hawks , and snowy owls . Hawk Ridge is one of the premier birdwatching sites in North America. The lakes teem with sport fish such as walleye , bass , muskellunge , and northern pike , while brook , brown , and rainbow trout populate streams in

3045-515: The 17th and 18th centuries. 19th-century European settlers, especially Scandinavians, established Protestant denominations, particularly Lutheranism . Catholicism also continued to be significant due to Irish immigrants, and the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis serves a substantial Catholic community. The 20th and 21st centuries witnessed growth in other Christian denominations and non-Christian religions due to further immigration, leading to

3150-569: The 4850 Level, the average rock overburden is approximately 4,300 meters water equivalent (m.w.e.). This depth provides significant protection from cosmic radiation from the sun for sensitive particle physics experiments. Two main underground campuses, the Davis Campus and the Ross Campus, host experiments on the 4850 Level. Within the Davis Campus is the Davis Cavern, which originally housed Dr. Raymond Davis Jr.'s Solar Neutrino Experiment and

3255-534: The Asian population to 5.3%, and those identifying as two or more races to 6.1%. In the 2017 American Community Survey , 5.1% of Minnesota's population were of Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race): Mexican (3.5%), Puerto Rican (0.2%), Cuban (0.1%), and other Hispanic or Latino origin (1.2%). The ancestry groups claimed by more than 5% of the population were German (33.8%), Norwegian (15.3%), Irish (10.5%), Swedish (8.1%), and English (5.4%). Minnesota has

Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park - Misplaced Pages Continue

3360-466: The Dakota people, and dislocated the Mdewakanton from their homelands along Mille Lacs Lake . Explorers such as Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut , Father Louis Hennepin , Jonathan Carver , Henry Schoolcraft , and Joseph Nicollet mapped the state. The region was part of Spanish Louisiana from 1762 to 1802. The portion of the state east of the Mississippi River became part of the United States at

3465-659: The Davis experiment, allowed Raymond Davis, Jr. to measure the flux of solar neutrinos directly. The measurements' discrepancy with the flux predicted from the Sun 's luminosity led to Davis's development of the solar neutrino problem . The Homestake experiment publicized the mine as a resource among scientific communities. When the Homestake Mine closed in 2002, the National Science Foundation (NSF) had already considered

3570-648: The Deep Underground Gravity Laboratory used 20 seismometers strategically placed on the surface and on several levels of Sanford Lab from the 300 to the 485 Levels. Placed in a grid, the seismometers monitored ground motion , giving researchers a 3-Dimensional seismic picture that was used to inform the design of future gravitational wave detectors. DUGL, which was decommissioned in 2017, was a Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory ( LIGO ) related project. Solar Neutrino Experiment (Davis Experiment/Homestake Experiment): Raymond Davis Jr .,

3675-618: The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) hope to revolutionize our understanding of the role neutrinos play in the creation of the universe. The Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) will shoot a beam of neutrinos from Fermilab in Batavia, Illinois, 800 miles through the earth to detectors deep underground at Sanford Lab in Lead, South Dakota. LUX-Zeplin : LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) is a next-generation dark matter detector that replaced

3780-978: The Federal Indian Commissioner . His successor, Governor Henry Swift , raised the bounty to $ 200/scalp. A total of $ 325 was paid out to four people collecting bounties, including for Little Crow who was killed in July 1863. Upon becoming Indian Commissioner, Ramsey set out to get Ojibwe lands too. In 1863 he negotiated the Treaty of Old Crossing , whereby the Ojibwe ceded all their land in northern Minnesota and moved to reservations. Logging, farming, and railroads were mainstays of Minnesota's early economy. The sawmills at Saint Anthony Falls and logging centers of Pine City , Marine on St. Croix , Stillwater , and Winona processed vast quantities of timber. These cities were on rivers that were ideal for transportation. St. Anthony Falls

3885-471: The LUX experiment deep underground at Sanford Lab. The experiment continues the search for WIMPs (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles) using a detector that is 30 times larger and 100 times more sensitive than LUX. CASPAR: The Compact Accelerator System for Performing Astrophysical Research (CASPAR) collaboration uses a low-energy accelerator (50 foot long) to better understand how chemical elements are produced in

3990-558: The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, agreed to support science operations at the lab. Today, Sanford Lab operations are funded by the U.S. Department of Energy through Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory . The first two major physics experiments located on the 4850 Level were the Large Underground Xenon (LUX) experiment and the Majorana Demonstrator experiment. LUX is housed in the same cavern that

4095-514: The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources later expanded the laboratory to accommodate other physics projects, such as the MINOS neutrino detector, dark matter search experiments CDMS -II, SuperCDMS, and CoGeNT , as well as work on electroforming copper to create pure radiation-free copper. Low-background materials screening facilities were in use and in continuing development. The mine

4200-646: The Minnesota River valley. In the weeks that followed, Dakota warriors killed hundreds of settlers, causing thousands to flee the area. The six-week war ended with the defeat of the eastern Dakota and 2,000 in custody, who were eventually exiled to the Crow Creek Reservation by the Great Sioux Reservation in Dakota Territory . The remaining 4,500 to 5,000 Dakota mostly fled the state into Rupert's Land . As many as 800 settlers were killed during

4305-816: The Minnesota State Demographic Center, Minnesota had a population of about 5.7 million in 2020, making it the 22nd-most populous U.S. state. Its fertility rate in 2021 was slightly below the replacement rate at 1.75, but the state has seen growth over the past century through more births than deaths, and significant immigration. A destination for European immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, primarily from Scandinavia , Germany , and Ireland , it now attracts people from Latin America , primarily Mexico ; East Africa , particularly Somalis and Ethiopians ; and South and Southeast Asia , especially Hmong , Vietnamese , and Indians . The state has

Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park - Misplaced Pages Continue

4410-474: The Minnesota and Mississippi rivers to create a military reservation. The construction of Fort Snelling followed between 1819 and 1825. Its soldiers built a grist mill and a sawmill at Saint Anthony Falls , which were harbingers of the water-powered industries around which Minneapolis later grew. Meanwhile, squatters, government officials, and others had settled near the fort; in 1839 the army forced them off military lands, and most moved downriver, just outside

4515-509: The SDSTA for use as a dedicated research facility in 2006. Homestake carved out more than 370 miles of underground shafts, drifts and ramps, and Sanford Lab currently maintains about 12 miles for science activities. The main level for science is the 4850 Level, which can be accessed through the Yates and Ross shafts. At 1,490 meters, SURF is the deepest underground laboratory in the U.S. For experiments on

4620-539: The Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center. SURF is located in the former Homestake Gold Mine and encompasses 223 acres on the surface and 7,700 acres underground. The surface property includes both the Yates Campus and the Ross Campus, named respectively for the Yates and Ross Shafts, which provide access to underground areas. The property was donated by Homestake's parent company, Barrick Gold, to

4725-481: The Sanford Underground Research Facility, Black Hills State University and the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center. The SSEC is committed to developing and facilitating rich, innovative learning experiences and preparing the next generation of scientists, engineers, mathematicians and educators. The SSEC lends support to Sanford Lab's Education and Outreach programs, BHSU's Underground Campus and

4830-625: The South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for their “outstanding operation of the wastewater system and environmental compliance” with DENR's Surface Water Discharge Permit Award. The facility is housed at the previous Homestake Gold Mine, a deep underground gold mine founded during the Black Hills Gold Rush in 1876. In the late 1960s, the mine hosted the Homestake experiment . The operation, also known as

4935-663: The Twin Cities metropolitan area, which became the Metropolitan Council in 1967. In 1971, under Governor Wendell Anderson , a series of legislation called the "Minnesota Miracle" led to a broad reform in financing of Minnesota public schools and local governments that created a fairer distribution in taxation and education. Two postwar Minnesota governors, former dentist Rudy Perpich and former professional wrestler Jesse Ventura , attracted national attention for their unconventional manner, but both enjoyed some popularity within

5040-476: The Twin Cities metropolitan area. Minnesota's population continues to grow, primarily in the urban centers. The populations of metropolitan Sherburne and Scott counties doubled between 1980 and 2000, while 40 of the state's 87 counties lost residents over the same period. The United States Navy has recognized multiple Minnesota communities . According to the United States Census Bureau and

5145-500: The U.S. government and the eastern Dakota and Ojibwe gradually forced the natives off their lands and onto reservations . As conditions deteriorated for the eastern Dakota, tensions rose, leading to the Dakota War of 1862 . The conflict was ignited when four young Dakota men, searching for food, killed a family of white settlers on August 17. That night, a faction of Little Crow 's eastern Dakota decided to try to drive all settlers out of

5250-451: The US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race. Once primarily a producer of raw materials, Minnesota's economy has transformed to emphasize finished products and services. Perhaps the most significant characteristic of the economy is its diversity;

5355-631: The Universe and at what rate and how much energy is produced during the process. The construction of the accelerator begun around 2015 and achieved first beam in 2017. In spring of 2021, the CASPAR experiment was mothballed due to excavations starting nearby. The accelerator was disassembled and put into storage. The research group plans to return to SURF in the future. Majorana Demonstrator : The Majorana Demonstrator uses 40 kilograms of pure germanium crystals enclosed in deep-freeze cryostat modules to answer one of

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5460-478: The Upper Mississippi downstream from Fort Snelling . Minnesota is geologically quiet today; it experiences earthquakes infrequently, most of them minor. The state's high point is Eagle Mountain at 2,301 feet (701   m), which is only 13 miles (21 km) away from the low point of 601 feet (183   m) at the shore of Lake Superior. Notwithstanding dramatic local differences in elevation, much of

5565-503: The Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP). To keep naturally-infiltrating water from accumulating underground, approximately 700 gallons of water per minute are pumped from underground to a surface reservoir where it awaits the treatment process. The water, pumped from the deepest drifts of the Sanford Lab and the tailing-laden reservoir of Grizzly Gulch, is filtered through multiple systems that clean dirt, minerals and toxins from

5670-527: The antique 1924 electric mine hoist to level 27, the mine's lowest level at 2,341 feet (713.5 m) below ground. As of 2021, tours of the previously active underground physics laboratory were no longer offered. Lake Vermilion State Park, originally separate from Soudan Underground Mine State Park, began with the purchase of about 3,000 acres from U.S. Steel in 2010. The park includes the Stuntz Bay Boathouse Historic District . In 2014,

5775-459: The ceiling and using Ely Greenstone and other waste rock to artificially raise the floor at the same rate as the ceiling was being mined out. As a result, the floor and ceiling were always 10–20 feet (3–6 m) apart. There was no need to move waste rock to the surface, because it was moved short distances and left in place. This technique was particularly suited to the Soudan Mine due to the strength of

5880-480: The country's largest Somali population, and the largest Hmong population per capita. Minnesota also has the largest Norwegian American and Swedish American populations. Since the 1960s, Minnesota's immigrant population has been shaped by its status as a major area for refugee resettlement. As of 2018, Minnesota had the largest refugee population per capita of any state, with 2% of the country's population but 13% of its refugees. The largest groups of refugees over

5985-538: The creation of Sanford Lab in 2007. After an extensive dewatering process, the 4850 Level of Sanford Lab was dedicated by South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds and T. Denny Sanford in 2009. The underground dedication took place in a space now designated as Governor's Corner. In December 2010, the National Science Board decided not to fund further design of DUSEL. However, in 2011 the Department of Energy, through

6090-755: The end of the American Revolutionary War , when the Second Treaty of Paris was signed. Land west of the Mississippi was acquired with the Louisiana Purchase , though the Hudson's Bay Company disputed the Red River Valley until the Treaty of 1818 , when the border on the 49th parallel was agreed upon. In 1805, Zebulon Pike bargained with Native Americans to acquire land at the confluence of

6195-596: The establishment of Buddhist , Hmong folk religion , Muslim , and Hindu communities, as well as a sizable Jewish community. A growing number of people identify as non-religious , in line with national trends. As of 2014, 74% of Minnesotans identified as Christian, 5% belonged to non-Christian faiths, and 20% identified as religiously unaffiliated, according to the Pew Research Center. The Spanish, Cushite, Beja, Somali, Miao, Hmong, Vietnamese, Chinese, Russian, Arabic, Amharic, Karen, and Niger-Congo languages are spoken in Minnesota. ( NH = Non-Hispanic ) Note:

6300-403: The facility are not available, in 2015, Sanford Lab built the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center . Overlooking the ridge of the 1,000-foot-deep Open Cut, the visitor center promotes public appreciation of Lead's rich mining history and an understanding of the science advancing at Sanford Lab. Formalized in the spring of 2014, the Sanford Science Education Center (SSEC) is a partnership between

6405-406: The facility as a possible future site for the United States’ Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory (DUSEL). In 2006, the facility's namesake T. Denny Sanford donated $ 70 million to the facility, Barrick Gold Corporation made a land donation and state legislation formed the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority (SDSTA), a quasi-government entity. These developments culminated with

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6510-400: The failed revolutions of 1848 , which partly influenced the state's development as a center of labor and social activism . Minnesota's rapid industrialization and urbanization precipitated major social, economic, and political changes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; the state was at the forefront of labor rights , women's suffrage , and political reform. Consequently, Minnesota

6615-456: The far northeast to 160 days in southeast Minnesota near the Mississippi River. Average temperatures range from 37 to 49 °F (3 to 9 °C). Average summer dewpoints range from about 58 °F (14 °C) in the south to about 48 °F (9 °C) in the north. Average annual precipitation ranges from 19 to 35 inches (48 to 89 cm). Droughts occur every 10 to 50 years. Minnesota has been affected by climate change and warmed over

6720-437: The floor of the primordial ocean ; the remains of this volcanic rock formed the Canadian Shield in northeast Minnesota. The roots of these volcanic mountains and the action of Precambrian seas formed the Iron Range of northern Minnesota. Since a period of volcanism 1.1   billion years ago, Minnesota's geological activity has been more subdued, with no volcanism or mountain formation, but with repeated incursions of

6825-435: The flour mills powered by St. Anthony Falls . Although less than 1% of the population is now employed in the agricultural sector, it remains a major part of the state's economy, ranking sixth in the nation in the value of products sold. The state is the nation's largest producer of sugar beets , sweet corn , and peas for processing, and farm-raised turkeys . Minnesota is also a large producer of corn and soybeans, and has

6930-409: The flow of heated water. Boreholes at the 4100 level monitor water injection and recovery using electrical impedance tomography and seismic signal analysis. GEOXTM: GEOXTM hopes to create the world's largest, deepest network of underground fiber-optic strain and temperature sensors and tiltmeters to measure the movement of rock systems in the underground laboratory. Transparent Earth: The project

7035-415: The hematite formations and the weakness of the encasing Greenstone. This method was not possible in the nearby mines in Ely, Minnesota , because the iron formations there were fractured and thus were not as structurally stable as those at Soudan. The park is in Breitung Township , on the shore of Lake Vermilion in northern Minnesota's Vermilion Range . It has become a popular tourist site, often visited on

7140-432: The industry. In 2016 the state produced 60% of the country's usable iron ore. The mining boom created the port of Duluth, which continues to be important for shipping ore, coal, and agricultural products. The manufacturing sector now includes technology and biomedical firms, in addition to the older food processors and heavy industry. The nation's first indoor shopping mall was Edina's Southdale Center , and its largest

7245-433: The isolated Northwest Angle in Lake of the Woods County is the only part of the 48 contiguous states north of the 49th parallel . The state is part of the U.S. region known as the Upper Midwest and part of North America's Great Lakes region . It shares a Lake Superior water border with Michigan and a land and water border with Wisconsin to the east. Iowa is to the south, North Dakota and South Dakota are to

7350-457: The largest privately owned company in the United States, and Carlson Companies , the parent company of Radisson Hotels . Minnesota's per capita personal income in 2019 was $ 58,834, the thirteenth-highest in the nation. Its 2019 median household income was $ 74,593, ranking thirteenth in the U.S. and fifth among the 36 states not on the Atlantic coast. Minnesota's earliest industries were fur trading and agriculture. Minneapolis grew around

7455-432: The late 19th century, prospectors searching for gold in northern Minnesota discovered extremely rich veins of hematite at this site, often containing more than 65% iron. An open pit mine began operation in 1882, and moved to underground mining by 1900 for safety reasons. From 1901 until the end of active mining in 1962, the Soudan Mine was owned by the United States Steel Corporation 's Oliver Iron Mining division . By 1912

7560-434: The life of an experiment. A consortium agreement between LBC owners allows the counters to be available to other universities and partners, creating opportunities for collaborative research. While the counters are dedicated to supporting high-priority experiments, the consortium allows those counters to also be used for all collaborations and academic users when there is space to spare. The Surface Assembly Laboratory (SAL)

7665-537: The main shaft at the 25th level. The fire was smothered using 70,000 gallons of fire-fighting foam, filling the 27th and lowest level of the shaft (27th level) from floor to ceiling. The Underground Laboratory lost power but remained safe. The mine tours were closed for the summer of 2011, but the above ground tours and interpretive center reopened. After a major cleanup effort, underground tours resumed on May 26, 2012. Minnesota Minnesota ( / ˌ m ɪ n ə ˈ s oʊ t ə / MIN -ə- SOH -tə )

7770-511: The military reservation, to the area that became St. Paul. Minnesota was part of several territorial organizations between acquisition and statehood. From 1812 to 1821 it was part of the Territory of Missouri that corresponded with much of the Louisiana Purchase. It was briefly an unorganized territory ( 1821–1834 ) and was later consolidated with Wisconsin, Iowa and half the Dakotas to form

7875-488: The mine was at a depth of 1,250 feet (381 m). When the mine closed, level 27 was being developed at 2,341 feet (713.5 m) below the surface and the entire underground workings consisted of more than fifty miles of drifts , adits , and raises . In 1965, US Steel donated the Soudan Mine to the State of Minnesota to use for educational purposes. The primary underground mining method used was known as cut and fill. This involved mining

7980-507: The most challenging and important questions in physics: are neutrinos their own antiparticles? If the answer is yes, it will require rewriting the Standard Model of Particles and Interactions, our basic understanding of the physical world. CUSSP: Center for Understanding Subsurface Signals and Permeability seeks to improve energy recovery from geothermal sites by better understanding how to induce fractures in geothermal reservoirs and direct

8085-438: The most food cooperatives per capita in the United States. Forestry remains strong, including logging , pulpwood processing and paper production, and forest products manufacturing. Minnesota was famous for its soft-ore mines, which produced a significant portion of the world's iron ore for more than a century. Although the high-grade ore is now depleted, taconite mining continues, using processes developed locally to save

8190-634: The norm. University of Minnesota professor Norman Borlaug contributed to these developments as part of the Green Revolution . Increased mobility enabled more specialized jobs. Minnesota became a center of technology after World War II. Engineering Research Associates was formed in 1946 to develop computers for the United States Navy . It later merged with Remington Rand , and then became Sperry Rand . William Norris left Sperry in 1957 to form Control Data Corporation (CDC). Cray Research

8295-515: The past decades have been Hmongs, Somalis, Ethiopians, and Vietnamese; other major refugee groups that have recently been settling in Minnesota include Burmese, Liberians, Ecuadorians, Congolese, Russians, and Ukrainians. Minnesota also receives large numbers of non-refugee immigrants, primarily from Mexico, India, China, Korea, and Canada. Minnesota's religious landscape is also diverse, having evolved significantly over its history. The area's first Christian influence came from Catholic missionaries in

8400-600: The past few years. Rising temperatures have affected natural habitats and many species that live in them. For example, the lakes' water is warming, which affects fish populations: trout, a cold-water fish, is losing its habitat, while the habitat of bass, a warm-water fish, is growing. Minnesota's first state park, Itasca State Park , was established in 1891, and is the source of the Mississippi River. Today Minnesota has 72 state parks and recreation areas, 58 state forests covering about four million acres (16,000   km ), and numerous state wildlife preserves, all managed by

8505-581: The phrase Mni Sóta Makoce ("the land where the water reflects the skies"), the Dakota name for the larger region. When Europeans arrived in North America, the Dakota people lived in what is now Minnesota. The first Europeans to enter the region were French voyageurs , fur traders who arrived in the 17th century. They used the Grand Portage to access trapping and trading areas further into Minnesota. The Anishinaabe (also known as Ojibwe or Chippewa) were migrating into Minnesota, causing tensions with

8610-497: The relative outputs of its business sectors closely match the United States as a whole. Minnesota's economy had a gross domestic product of $ 383   billion in 2019, with 33 of the United States' top 1,000 publicly traded companies by revenue headquartered in Minnesota, including Target , UnitedHealth Group , 3M , General Mills , U.S. Bancorp , Ameriprise , Hormel , Land O' Lakes , SuperValu , Best Buy , and Valspar . Private companies based in Minnesota include Cargill ,

8715-402: The sea, which left behind multiple strata of sedimentary rock . In more recent times , massive ice sheets at least one kilometer thick ravaged the state's landscape and sculpted its terrain. The Wisconsin glaciation left 12,000 years ago. These glaciers covered all of Minnesota except the far southeast, an area characterized by steep hills and streams that cut into the bedrock . This area

8820-406: The short-lived Territory of Michigan (1834–1836). From 1836 to 1848, Minnesota and Iowa were part of the Territory of Wisconsin . From 1838 to 1846, Minnesota west of the Mississippi River was part of the Territory of Iowa . Minnesota east of the Mississippi was part of Wisconsin until 1848. When Iowa gained statehood, western Minnesota was in an Unorganized Territory again. Minnesota Territory

8925-502: The southeast and northeast. Minnesota experiences temperature extremes characteristic of its continental climate , with cold winters and hot summers. The lowest temperature recorded was −60 °F (−51 °C) at Tower on February 2, 1996. The highest was 114 °F (46 °C) at Moorhead on July 6, 1936. Meteorological events include rain, snow, blizzards, thunderstorms, hail, derechos , tornadoes, and high-velocity straight-line winds . The growing season varies from 90 days in

9030-401: The southwestern and western parts of the state; the eastern broadleaf forest ( Big Woods ) in the southeast, extending in a narrowing strip to the state's northwestern part, where it transitions into tallgrass aspen parkland ; and the northern Laurentian mixed forest , a transitional forest between the northern boreal forest and the broadleaf forests to the south. These northern forests are

9135-841: The state is a gently rolling peneplain . Two major drainage divides meet in Minnesota's northeast in rural Hibbing , forming a triple watershed . Precipitation can follow the Mississippi River south to the Gulf of Mexico , the Saint Lawrence Seaway east to the Atlantic Ocean, or the Hudson Bay watershed to the Arctic Ocean. The state's nickname "Land of 10,000 Lakes" is apt, as there are 11,842 Minnesota lakes over 10 acres (4 ha) in size. Minnesota's portion of Lake Superior

9240-508: The state's early French explorers and its position as the northernmost state in the contiguous U.S. As part of the American frontier , Minnesota attracted settlers and homesteaders from across the country. Its growth was initially based on timber, agriculture, and railroad construction. Into the early 20th century, European immigrants arrived in significant numbers, particularly from Scandinavia , Germany, and Central Europe . Many were linked to

9345-514: The state's racial demographics, making it one of the country's least diverse states, but in recent decades, Minnesota has become more multicultural, due to both larger domestic migration and immigration from Latin America, Asia, the Horn of Africa , and the Middle East. The state has the nation's largest population of Somali Americans and second-largest Hmong community . The word Minnesota comes from

9450-450: The state. After a period of mostly divided government during the 21st century, the DFL ( Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party ) gained control of all three branches of Minnesota's government and passed significant reforms in the 2023 legislative session , moving the state in a progressive direction. Minnesota is the second northernmost U.S. state (after Alaska ) and northernmost contiguous state, as

9555-604: The two adjacent parks were combined into one. In the 1980s, scientists from the University of Minnesota began to develop the Soudan Mine as a site for sensitive physics experiments because of the very low rate of cosmic rays in the deep underground site, and also because they could inexpensively use the still-operating mine hoist. The mine laboratory was originally home to the Soudan 1 proton decay experiment and its successor, Soudan 2 which operated from 1989-2001. The University and

9660-649: The war. Minnesota Governor Alexander Ramsey subsequently declared that "the Sioux Indians of Minnesota must be exterminated or driven forever beyond the borders of the state" and placed a bounty of $ 25/scalp on the heads of the eastern Dakota men. Over 1,600 eastern Dakota women, children, and elderly walked from the Lower Sioux Agency to Fort Snelling to be held until the spring thaw allowed riverboats to take them out of Minnesota to Crow Creek Indian Reservation. William Crooks , commander of 6th Minnesota , had

9765-469: The water, making it safe to return to natural stream systems. Once treated, the water is released into Gold Run Creek , which joins Whitewood Creek within a few hundred yards of the discharge pipe. Sanford Lab monitors the health of these streams, counting fish and macro invertebrate populations and tests for contaminants. For this regulation, in 2019, the WWTP was recognized for the eleventh consecutive year by

9870-520: The way to and from Ely and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness . The state park is operated under the Department of Natural Resources . It is a National Historic Landmark , meaning that it is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places . As of 2021, the surface buildings are open to the public, and during the summer months there are daily tours of the mine. Visitors are lowered in

9975-476: The west, and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba are to the north. With 86,943 square miles (225,180 km ), or approximately 2.25% of the United States, Minnesota is the 12th-largest state. Minnesota has some of the earth's oldest rocks, gneisses that are about 3.6   billion years old (80% as old as the planet). About 2.7   billion years ago basaltic lava poured out of cracks in

10080-412: Was a precursor to EGS Collab. EGS Collab : The Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) Collab Project is a collaboration of eight national laboratories and six universities who are working to improve geothermal technologies. EGS conducts field experiments to better understand and model rock fracturing and other elements of geothermal energy. The experiment was a precursor to CUSSP. DUGL: For several years,

10185-619: Was established with the discovery of iron in the Vermilion and Mesabi ranges in the 1880s, followed by the Cuyuna Range in the early 1900s. The ore went by rail to Duluth and Two Harbors for ship transport east via the Great Lakes . Industrial development and the rise of manufacturing caused the population to shift gradually from rural areas to cities during the early 20th century. Nevertheless, farming remained prevalent. Minnesota's economy

10290-467: Was excavated for Ray Davis's experiment in the 1960s. In October 2013, after an initial run of 80 days, LUX was determined to be the most sensitive dark matter detector in the world. The Majorana experiment is searching for a rare type of radioactive decay called “neutrinoless double-beta decay.” If this phenomenon were detected, it could confirm that neutrinos are their own antiparticles and provide clues as to why matter prevailed over antimatter. In 2017,

10395-509: Was formed on March 3, 1849. The first territorial legislature, held on September 2, 1849, was dominated by men of New England ancestry. Thousands of pioneers had come to create farms and cut timber. Minnesota became the 32nd U.S. state on May 11, 1858. The founding population was so overwhelmingly of New England origins that the state was dubbed "the New England of the West". Treaties between

10500-457: Was formed when Seymour Cray left CDC to form his own company. Medical device maker Medtronic also started business in the Twin Cities in 1949. The nonprofit Mayo Clinic , which was founded in 1864 in Rochester , grew to become one of the country's leading medical systems, and, by the 21st century, Minnesota's largest private employer. In 1957, the legislature created a planning commission for

10605-497: Was formed. Dakota people demonstrated the name to early settlers by dropping milk into water and calling it mní sóta . Many places in the state have similar Dakota names, such as Minnehaha Falls ("curling water" or waterfall), Minneiska ("white water"), Minneota ("much water"), Minnetonka ("big water"), Minnetrista ("crooked water"), and Minneapolis, a hybrid word combining Dakota mní ("water") and - polis ( Greek for "city"). The state seal features

10710-467: Was hit hard by the Great Depression , resulting in lower prices for farmers, layoffs among iron miners, and labor unrest. Compounding the adversity, western Minnesota and the Dakotas were hit by drought from 1931 to 1935. New Deal programs provided some economic turnaround. The Civilian Conservation Corps and other programs around the state established some jobs for Indians on their reservations, and

10815-498: Was later tapped to provide power for flour mills. Innovations by Minneapolis millers led to the production of Minnesota "patent" flour, which commanded almost double the price of "bakers'" or "clear" flour which it replaced. By 1900, Minnesota mills, led by Pillsbury , Northwestern , and the Washburn-Crosby Company, an ancestor of General Mills , were grinding 14.1% of the nation's grain. The state's iron-mining industry

10920-496: Was proposed as one possible site for a U.S. Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory , but that project was instead awarded to the Homestake Mine (South Dakota) . Parts of the laboratory had been open for daily tours, and there was an annual open house with more access to the facilities and representatives of the experiments to help with the tours and answer questions. The laboratory, along with public tours, were closed circa 2016. A fire broke out late on March 17, 2011, in

11025-557: Was redesigned and enlarged for dark matter experiments. The first, the Large Underground Xenon experiment (LUX), operated from 2013 to 2016. The Davis Cavern gave the experiment the environment it needed to become the most sensitive dark matter detector in the world, a spot it held for more than one year after it was decommissioned. This state-of-the-art laboratory features a 72,000-gallon (272,549 liters) water tank, which serves as additional shielding from cosmic radiation; and

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