American Steel & Wire Co., descendant from Washburn & Moen, acquired by U.S. Steel in 1901 and became its American Steel & Wire Division; employed 4000 workers during 1940s; facilities expansion at South Works plant in 1957-1958; ceased operations in Worcester in 1977.
On June 30, 1960, U.S. Steel Corporation's Columbia-Geneva Steel Division broke ground for the construction of facilities to mine, concentrate, and agglomerate iron ores of the Atlantic City, Wyoming area, which became known as the Atlantic City Project. The project, named for a nearby ghost mining town, was located in Fremont County, on the southeast flank of the Wind River Mountains. The installation was the highest open pit iron ore mining operation in the United States. It was the first integrated iron ore beneficiation plant west of the Mississippi producing an agglomerated product.
In addition to the open pit mining operations, Atlantic City Ore Operations included an ore crushing and screening facility; a concentrating plant; an agglomerating plant; an extensive water storage and handling system; and storage, loading, and shipping facilities, including a 76-mile industrial spur track. Iron ore agglomerates were shipped to the blast furnaces at Geneva Works in Provo, Utah by the Union Pacific Railroad.
Construction was completed in 26 months, with initial startup of plant operations in August 1962. Full production was achieved by March 1963. Operations were suspended indefinitely October 1, 1983, and in April 1984, the plant was permanently shut down.
On June 30, 1960, U.S. Steel Corporation’s Columbia-Geneva Steel Division broke ground for the construction of facilities to mine, concentrate, and agglomerate iron ores of the Atlantic City, Wyoming area, which became known as the Atlantic City Project. The project, named for a nearby ghost mining town, was located in Fremont County, 28 miles south of Lander, on the southeast flank of the Wind River Mountains. The installation was the highest open pit iron ore mining operation in the United States, operating at an elevation of 8300 feet, 16 miles north of South Pass, where the Oregon Trail crossed the Continental Divide. It was the first integrated iron ore beneficiation plant west of the Mississippi producing an agglomerated product.
In addition to the open pit mining operations, Atlantic City Ore Operations included an ore crushing and screening facility; a concentrating plant where the low grade taconite-type ore was magnetically upgraded; an agglomerating plant; an extensive water storage and handling system built to recover most of the process water and recirculate it back through the mills; and storage, loading, and shipping facilities, including a 76-mile industrial spur track to Winton Junction, 10 miles north of Rock Springs. Iron ore agglomerates were shipped to the blast furnaces at Geneva Works in Provo, Utah by the Union Pacific Railroad, where they were then converted into a variety of high-grade steel products.
Construction was completed in only 26 months, with initial startup of plant operations in August 1962. Full production was achieved by March 1963. Operations were suspended indefinitely October 1, 1983, but in April 1984, the plant was permanently shut down and the stripping dumps, pit, and tailings basin reclaimed.