SOUDAN, Minn. — The Soudan Mine reopened last month for public tours on a regular schedule for the first time since the state park attraction closed at the onset of the pandemic in 2020.

After closing for COVID, and then reopening on a limited schedule given ongoing transmission concerns, the facility closed again in October 2021 for a $9.3 million reconstruction project that included rebuilding 500 feet of the steel skeletal structure lining the mine shaft.

“Some of that steel was 100 years old,” said Jim DeVries, assistant manager of the Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park. “As you can imagine, steel that’s been in a wet environment for 100 years was starting to degrade. So we’re glad to get new steel in there, rebuild that piece so that we’re able to bring tourists down for generations to come.”

Interpreter Reed Petersen describes the geology on the bottom level during a tour of the underground iron mine facilities on Thursday, May 30, 2024 at the Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park near Soudan, Minn. (Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group)

That work was concentrated between levels 19 and 24 of the mine, following similar work done on lower levels after a two-day 2011 fire when wood debris was ignited by sparks from shaft maintenance work. Seventy thousand gallons of fire-suppressing foam took a toll, in addition to damage caused by the fire.

“We did that section from 24 down to 27,” said DeVries, “right after we had the fire in the shaft and we had some emergency funds to repair that steel. We knew at that point that we needed to do the 500 feet up above that.”

New video, exhibits

The shaft lining reconstruction won’t have much perceptible impact on the experience of visitors riding an elevator down to level 27, where tours take place. Upon arriving at the decommissioned ore mine, though, visitors will certainly notice the new eight-minute introductory video, as well as new exhibits that include a three-dimensional model of the entire mine.

“We are so fortunate that we were able to, over the last two years, do a lot of research and development to have for the very first time a professionally created exhibit in this space,” said interpretive supervisor Sarah Guy-Levar, standing in the mine’s dry house. That structure, where miners would change clothes after a shift, now functions as the attraction’s visitor center.

The model depicts the 54 miles of drifts — “what we would call tunnels,” explained Guy-Levar — that were excavated during the mine’s 80 years of operation.

“Not only do they get to have a real experience,” said Guy-Levar about mine visitors, “but they can come back here in the visitor center and fully understand the complexity” of the mine.

Tourism landmark

Since first opening for public tours as a state park in 1965, three years after the 1882 mine ceased operations, Soudan has become a tourism landmark on the Iron Range. In a typical year, said DeVries, about 35,000 people descend 2,341 feet below the surface to visit the most recently excavated section of the mine.

That’s deeper than any other public underground mine tour in the United States, based on a list maintained by the National Mining Association. DeVries believes the state of Minnesota, which paid for the recent reconstruction through a combination of bonding money and state park funds, appreciates the value of its unique attraction.

“There’s a lot of commitment statewide, from the (DNR) commissioner’s office to the governor’s office,” DeVries said while standing near the towering elevator hoist Thursday. “They’re excited that we are opening up again.”

A sign at the entrance to the bottom level of the mine greets visitors during a tour of the underground iron mine facilities Thursday, May 30, 2024 at the Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park near Soudan, Minn. (Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group)

Aside from tourist infrastructure such as the passenger rail cars that carry visitors three-quarters of a mile through the mine’s deepest drift — “train is for ore, train is for product,” said interpreter Reed Petersen about how the mine’s tracks would have been used during regular operation — the Soudan Mine remains largely frozen in time as it was left when miners last clocked out on Dec. 15, 1962.

“By the early 1960s, the mine was no longer profitable,” a narrator’s voice explains in the new introductory video. “Instead of the rich iron ore found in Soudan, steel producers wanted a processed ore called taconite … With new technology, mining companies could gather lower-grade ore more quickly, process it more cheaply.”

“Soudan was called ‘the Cadillac of mines,’” said Petersen on Thursday while standing in a stope, or underground room, created by ore excavation. “Because this rock is so dense, it seals out most of the water. … There’s also a good airflow that happens through this mine.”

Total darkness

Standard mine tours offer a 90-minute experience highlighted by the elevator plunge, the train ride and an opportunity to experience total darkness when interpreters briefly extinguish the stope’s electric lights.

In Petersen’s experience, “Whenever you ask people, ‘What do you remember from this tour?,’ they always say, ‘I remember going down the mine shaft and I remember being in total darkness.’”

Park staff said that later this summer, they expect to resume occasional “science tours” that include a visit to the mine’s laboratory space. Most recently, two large physics experiments, active until 2016, took advantage of the mine’s insulation from cosmic radiation.

The science tours will explain the research conducted in the space, which was first used for laboratory work in the early 1980s, and will publicize the fact that “it is open for a new group (of researchers) to move in there.”

The facility’s historic infrastructure includes the 1924 electric hoist that still lifts and lowers the elevator cars. While the cacophonous half-mile ride is a vivid experience that leaves some visitors rattled, DeVries explained there’s no need to be nervous — the elevators have well-functioning emergency brakes and were built to lift heavy loads of iron ore.

“The rope is able to hold up to 90 tons of weight,” said DeVries. “Putting tourists on the cage, we don’t even come close to that kind of weight.”

An aerial view of the Soudan Underground Mine near Soudan, Minn. The Soudan Mine reopened May 25, 2024 for public tours on a regular schedule for the first time since the state park attraction closed at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. (Wyatt Buckner / Duluth Media Group)

During the recent reconstruction work, the hoist returned to something like its original mining schedule, running around the clock. With 40,000 square feet of shaft lining to remove and replace, workers relied on the same hoist and cage used by yesterday’s miners and today’s visitors.

“We had hoist operators from the park here that were manning this hoist throughout that time,” said DeVries. “They did two 12-hour shifts, six days a week while construction was going on.”

Little brown bats

One reason for the hustle: Work had to break for bats.

“This is the largest hibernaculum for little brown bats in Minnesota,” said DeVries. “During our construction phase, we did have to close down for two months, from the middle of March to the middle of May, to allow those bats just enough time to get through that hibernation period.”

Among the many thousands of miners who worked to liberate ore from subterranean Soudan, four live to this day, said DeVries. One of those aged industry veterans recently returned to his former workplace for a tour.

“He was excited,” said DeVries, “to be able to go underground again.”

Park staff encourage visitors to make advance reservations for Soudan Mine tours, as time slots regularly fill up. For information, see dnr.state.mn.us.

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Summer is the best of time of year to cook and eat, by far, with its hissing grills, saltwater-seasoned beach picnics, stone fruit dripping with juice, vine vegetables brimming with flavor and pastel cones of melting ice cream. I love it.

In honor of the season, we’re unveiling the Summer 100, the New York Times Cooking recipes we think you should put on repeat for the next three months. We’ve selected our favorite salads and desserts, recipes for the grill and ones that don’t require cooking at all, and dinners, of course — like the shrimp scampi below. Enjoy these five recipes to start.

1. Summer Shrimp Scampi With Tomatoes and Corn

Summer shrimp scampi with tomatoes and corn. Start making Ali Slagle’s delicious recipe now and you’ll have it nailed come the point in summer when the produce is perfect. Food styled by Simon Andrews. (David Malosh/The New York Times)

Shrimp get along well with garlic, butter and lemon, and so do tomatoes and corn. Combine them, and you get a summery shrimp scampi that comes together in one skillet. A searing hot pan helps the tomatoes blister and the corn caramelize before they are coated in a garlic-lemon butter sauce. This is a meal in and of itself, but if you want to serve it with pasta or bread, they’d be welcome additions.

By Ali Slagle

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (from 4 ears)
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon), plus wedges for serving (optional)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces
3 tablespoons chopped parsley or chives, or torn basil leaves

DIRECTIONS

Pat the shrimp very dry and season with salt and pepper. In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Add the shrimp and cook until pink and lightly golden in spots, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shrimp to a plate.
Add the tomatoes to the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring just once or twice, until they start to blister in spots, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the corn, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring just once or twice, until the tomatoes burst and the corn is golden in spots, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until you smell garlic, about 1 minute.
Reduce heat to medium, and add the wine and lemon juice, scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until nearly evaporated, then add the butter and stir until melted. Add the shrimp and its juices and stir until warmed through. (If the sauce breaks and looks greasy, add 1 or 2 teaspoons of water and stir until emulsified.)
Remove from heat, add the herbs, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve with extra lemon for squeezing over, if you like.

2. One-Pot Chicken Meatballs With Greens

One-pot chicken meatballs with greens. Yasmin Fahr’s new recipe is already racking up five-star ratings and glowing comments. Food styled by Vivian Lui. (Johnny Miller/The New York Times)

An upside-down take on typical skillet meatballs, these juicy garlic-and-herb-filled ones are smothered in greens rather than being cooked on top or alongside them, an ingenious trick to streamline efforts for weeknight cooks. The meatballs first brown in the pot for color and flavor, then are covered with a mound of greens, which achieves two feats: It gently finishes cooking the meatballs while the chard and lemon slices steam and collapse on top, draping themselves over these hidden delights. Scoop them up with a soup ladle, spooning the lemony pan sauce over everything.

By Yasmin Fahr

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/3 cup full-fat thick yogurt (preferably Greek or Icelandic)
2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
2 scallions, white and light green parts thinly sliced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt
1 pound ground chicken
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more as needed
1 pound rainbow or Swiss chard (1 large or 2 small bunches), tender stalks sliced and leaves cut into 1-inch ribbons
1 lemon, halved, 1/2 thinly sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, yogurt, garlic, scallions, oregano, crushed red pepper and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the chicken and gently mix until fully combined.
Coat your palms in olive oil, then shape the meat into 14 medium meatballs (about 2 inches each), making sure each is lightly coated with oil by refreshing the coating on your hands. Set the meatballs directly on a sheet pan or on parchment paper.
Heat a 12-inch Dutch oven (or other heavy pot with a tightfitting lid) over medium heat for 2 minutes until hot. Pour in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, tilting the pot to coat the surface, then add the meatballs. Let cook until they are golden halfway up the sides, occasionally turning them when they easily release, adding extra oil if needed, about 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, to another large bowl, add the greens, lemon slices, cumin and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and season with salt; toss to coat the leaves, scrunching them up as needed.
Smother the meatballs with the greens and lemon slices. Cover, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the meatballs are cooked through and the greens tender, 12 to 13 minutes.
Use a soup ladle to scoop up the meatballs, resting them on the greens, browned-side up and ladling any juices on top of the meatballs and greens. Cut the remaining lemon into wedges for serving, if desired.

3. Charred Bok Choy and Cannellini Bean Salad

Charred bok choy and cannellini bean salad. Hetty Lui McKinnon’s new salad recipe arrives with an excellent ginger-maple dressing you can turn to all season long. Food styled by Rebecca Jurkevich. (Linda Xiao/The New York Times)

This recipe breaks bok choy out of its steamed and stir-fried box, demonstrating how well it responds to charring. Don’t be afraid to cook bok choy aggressively; the stalks are robust and remain crisp while becoming smoky and sweet. Baby bok choy can be used too, but the leaves are much smaller and more tender, so simply slice them through the middle lengthwise. Other sturdy greens like gai lan (sometimes called Chinese broccoli) or cabbages will also work. The punchy dressing is sweet and acidic, given heat and spice from the grated ginger, while tart rice vinegar cuts through the richness of the maple syrup. Keep this dressing in mind for similar salads; it is equally lovely with cold soba.

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

For the ginger-maple dressing:

1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, finely grated
1 garlic clove, grated
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
4 teaspoons sesame oil
Salt and black pepper

For the salad:

2 pounds bok choy (about 2 large bunches), rinsed and patted dry
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed
1 big handful cilantro, chopped
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS

Make the dressing: Place the ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, maple syrup and sesame oil in a small bowl; whisk to combine. Season well with salt and pepper.
Prepare the bok choy: Trim the base of the bok choy and separate the white stalks from the green leaves. Slice the stalks into 1-inch pieces and roughly chop the leaves, keeping them separate from the stalks.
Heat a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high for 2 minutes. Drizzle in about 1 tablespoon of oil, add the stalks, season well with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Leave to cook, undisturbed, until the bottoms of the stalks are charred, 2 to 3 minutes. Toss and then cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, tossing often, until the stalks are charred and crisp-tender. Transfer the bok choy from the pan and to a large serving bowl. Return the skillet to the heat.
Drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil into the skillet and add the bok choy leaves. Season with salt and pepper and cook, tossing often, until the leaves are charred and the water has cooked out, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the leaves from the pan and add to the stalks.
Add the cannellini beans to the bok choy and pour in the dressing. Add the cilantro and toss to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper. To serve, top with crushed red pepper and sesame seeds.

4. Pepper-Crusted Flank Steak

Coarse crushed black peppercorns coat this flank steak for a zesty burst of flavor, complementing the rare grilled meat. It’s best to crush your own, in a mortar and pestle or spice mill. Serve warm or at room temperature.

By David Tanis

Yield: 6 servings

Total time: 35 minutes, plus 1 hour’s marinating

INGREDIENTS

1 flank steak, about 2 pounds
2 tablespoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
3 tablespoons coarse crushed black peppercorns

DIRECTIONS

Pat steak dry. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon salt on each side.
Coat both sides of the steak with the crushed pepper, pressing down to coat evenly. Allow to rest and absorb seasoning for at least 1 hour.
Bring steak to room temperature. Grill over medium-hot coals or a covered gas grill at 450 degrees, about 4 to 5 minutes per side, until juices appear on the surface of the steak. Check with a meat thermometer; 125 degrees for rare, 130 for medium-rare. (Alternatively, cook in a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat or broil.) Let rest at least 10 minutes before slicing.)
With a sharp knife, slice on a slight bias against the grain, about 1/8-inch thick. Arrange on a serving platter. Serve warm or at room temperature.

5. Spanakorizo With Jammy Eggs

Spanakorizo with jammy eggs. Hetty Lui McKinnon’s take on Greek spinach rice includes a nontraditional egg – a sunny burst of yolk amid the green. Food styled by Cyd Raftus McDowell. (Christopher Testani/The New York Times)

Bright and soulful, spanakorizo is a beloved Greek dish, with a name that reflects its combination of two key ingredients: spinach and rice. This version is fairly traditional in its essence, relying upon rice, spinach, lemon and herbs, but includes some flourishes. Although the addition of the jammy egg is not traditional, it injects a sunny burst of color as well as added protein. For ease, this recipe calls for baby spinach (or chopped mature spinach), but frozen spinach can also be used (simply thaw it and squeeze out the water), or try a hardy green like chard or kale. A whole bunch of scallions delivers a richly aromatic base for the rice. Basmati is used here for its quick cooking time and light finish, but if you would like to use more traditional medium-grain rice, simply add an extra 1/2 cup of stock (2 cups total). As with any recipe, the timing is a guideline, but you should use your senses: Check your rice at the 15-minute mark, as some brands of rice will cook quicker than others.

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Total time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1 bunch scallions (6 to 9 stems), trimmed and thinly sliced
1 pound baby spinach (or 1 pound mature spinach, trimmed and roughly chopped)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1 cup basmati rice
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
4 large eggs
1 lemon, juiced (3 to 4 tablespoons)
1 cup roughly chopped dill or parsley
1 (6-ounce) block Greek feta, crumbled (about 1 1/3 cups)

DIRECTIONS

Heat a large, wide Dutch oven or deep skillet on medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and scallions and stir until fragrant and softened, 2 minutes. Add the spinach (depending upon the size of your pot, you may need to add it gradually, throwing in more as it cooks down), garlic and about 1 teaspoon salt; toss until wilted, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the rice, then pour in the stock. Bring to the boil and then cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the liquid has been absorbed and rice is cooked, 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high. Add the eggs in their shells to the boiling water and continue to cook over medium-high for 7 minutes. (Make sure you set a timer.) Set up an ice bath. Using a spider ladle or slotted spoon, remove the eggs from the water and immediately add them to the ice bath. Cool for 3 to 4 minutes and then peel them.
When the rice is ready, turn off the heat. Uncover and add the lemon juice and half of the herbs and gently toss them through the rice. Taste to check seasonings, adding salt if needed.
Divide the spinach rice among bowls. Halve the eggs and place the halves on top of the rice; top each with feta and additional herbs. To finish, drizzle over some olive oil and season well with pepper.

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