 Sherman was the largest open pit mine in Temagami, consisting of seven open pits known as the East Pit, South Pit, North Pit, West Pit and the Turtle Pits.The mine was discovered in the early part of the twentieth century, however interest was limited as a result of silver and gold discoveries in northeastern Ontario.While the Ontario government offered bounties to producers of iron ore, there was little interest in putting any iron mine into production as a result of cheaper Mesabi Range ores from the US and the Great Depression.