IRON COUNTY, Utah — It sounded different Friday outside the Iron Mountain Mine than it usually has over more than 100 years.
"It was, it was quiet. It was. It was really weird," explained Mick Gilmore, a former industrial maintenance technician at the mine. "They don't shut down. These mills are always turning."
The mill is not longer turning and the only sound is that of the wind after Utah Iron near Cedar City suspended operations this week and laid off nearly all its 200 workers.
It has been a shock in a county named Iron.
"My heart sunk," admitted Gilmore. "As soon as I heard my shift lead's voice over the phone, I knew he didn't even have to say anything.
"I knew."
Another mine worker, Brett Ekker, said he was given the impression the company had years and years of work remaining.
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What's worse is that social media posts claimed most employees found out they had lost their jobs on Facebook.
"They were calling as many people as they could, but I mean like, you got to think an operation like this with as many personnel as the company employs, it's gonna take a while to get the word out to everyone," Gilmore said.
There are usually trains on tracks at the mill, filling up to take iron ore to the port of Long Beach in Southern California. But not Friday.
"I just feel like there's a domino here," added Gilmore. "From what I've heard, we have a ship, I don't want to say adrift, but out in the Pacific with nowhere to pull into port that's loaded with ore."
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints pioneers established the mine in the 1850s, which has changed hands five times over the years.
Utah Iron LLC, which runs the mine now, calls the shutdown a suspension and temporary. Company officials said the volatility of the economy was a reason for the stoppage.
Iron County Commissioner Mike Bleak (R) feels the blame should go to Washington, D.C. and tariffs.
"I have never seen volatility like this with an administration change," Bleak said. "I hope that they're all making good decisions that will ultimately benefit us as citizens of the United States. I have to think that that's what's going on."
With the shutdown of the Iron Mountain Mine, there are now only five active iron mines in the U.S., all in Michigan and Minnesota.
Gilmore hopes the suspension is only temporary and the machines will grind again. In the meantime, local social media is filled with people posting possible jobs and aid.
"This is a bump on the road, just keep your chin up," Gilmore said the messages read. "You guys worked here so you can deal with some pretty tough stuff, so just keep your chin up."
