The following mining facilities are currently operating, or under construction on the Minnesota Iron Range.

 

For more information visit individual company websites (provided below) and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

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Video | Show Me the Money: The Economy on the Iron

Range  | Many legislators are looking at mining towns

in Minnesota and Michigan as examples to promote new

mining projects in their state. But the economic truth may

not be so rosy. Are the economic benefits really worth

the risk?

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ArcelorMittal Minorca

Mining Operation | ArcelorMittal Minorca, Virginia, MN

Status | Active – Operated by ArcelorMittal

Type of Mine/Plant | open pit — iron ore mining and processing

Output | 18 million tons/yr

Employees | 362

Company Website | usa.arcelormittal.com/Our-operations/Mining/Minorca

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Essar Steel Minnesota

Mining Operation | Mesabi Metallics, Nashwauk, MN

Status | Under Construction -- Purchased from Essar Steel by ERP Iron Ore. Mineral rights leases have been reinstated to ERP

Type of Mine/Plant | open pit — iron ore (taconite) mining and processing

Anticipated Output | n/a

Employees | n/a

Company Website | n/a

 

Hibbing Taconite

Mining Operation | Hibbing Taconite, Hibbing, MN

Status | Active – Operated by ArcelorMittal, Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc., U.S. Steel

Type of Mine/Plant | open pit — iron ore (magnetite) mining and processing

Output | 7.7 million tons/yr

Employees | 737

Company Website | www.cliffsnaturalresources.com/EN/Pages/default.aspx

 

Magnetation, Inc., plant 1

Mining Operation | ERP Iron Ore (acquired by) plant 1, Keewatin, MN

Status | Idle - Operated by ERP Iron Ore

Type of Mine/Plant | Iron ore processing from tailings

Output | ---

Employees | ---

Company Website | www.magnetation.com/

 

Magnetation, Inc., plant 2

Mining Operation | ERP Iron Ore (acquired by), plant 2, Bovey, MN

Status | Idle - Operated by ERP Iron Ore

Type of Mine/Plant | Iron ore processing from tailings

Output | ---

Employees | ---

Company Website | www.magnetation.com/

 

Mesabi Nugget

Mining Operation | Mesabi Nugget, Hoyt Lakes, MN

Status | Idled 2015- Operated by Steel Dynamics Inc. and Kobe Steel. Fined in 2017 for previous air emissions violations.

Type of Mine/Plant | iron ore processing, seeking permits for an open pit mine on the former LTV Steel ore body

Output | ---

Employees | ---

Company Website | steeldynamics.com/

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Mining Resources, LLC

Mining Operation | Mining Resources, LLC, Chisholm, MN

Status | Idled 2015- Operated by Steel Dynamics Inc., and Magnetation, Inc.

Type of Mine/Plant | Iron ore processing from tailings

Output | ---

Employees | ---

Company Website | steeldynamics.com/

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Northshore

Mining Operation | Northshore, Babbitt, MN

Status | Active – Operated by Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.

Type of Mine/Plant | open pit — iron ore (taconite) mining and processing

Output |  3.2 million gross tons

Employees | 554

Company Website | clevelandcliffs.com/English/home/default.aspx

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Twin Metals

Mining Operation | Twin Metals, MN, near Ely and Babbitt

Status | Proposed – A detailed plan is expected within the next 18 months

Location | Superior National Forest, near Birch Lake, SE of Ely, MN

Type of Mine | underground – copper, nickel, platinum, palladium, gold and silver

Estimated Mine Life | 50+ years

Anticipated Output | 20,000 tons/day

Concerns |

• The ore is located in a sulfide ore body.

• The project is sited in the Rainy River Watershed. Surface waters flow into Birch Lake and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness

• Mining may occur below Birch Lake

Projected Jobs Created | 650 direct, 1300 indirect (see company website)

Company Website | www.twin-metals.com/about-the-project/

State Agency Website | www.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/ereview/index.html

Additional Information | Mining Truth is actively monitoring the Twin Metals Project.

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United Taconite

Mining Operation | United Taconite, Eveleth and Forbes, MN

Status | Active – Operated by Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.

Type of Mine/Plant | open pit — iron ore (taconite) mining and processing

Output | 4.8 million gross tons

Employees | 483

Company Website | www.cliffsnaturalresources.com/EN/Pages/default.aspx

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U.S. Steel — Keetac

Mining Operation | U.S. Steel — Keetac, Keewatin, MN

Status | Active – Operated by U.S Steel

Type of Mine/Plant | open pit — iron ore (taconite) mining and processing

Output | 6 million tons/yr

Employees | n/a

Company Website | ussteel.com/locations/keetac

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U.S. Steel — Minntac

Mining Operation | U.S. Steel — Minntac, Mt. Iron, MN

Status | Active – Operated by U.S Steel

Type of Mine/Plant | open pit — iron ore (taconite) mining and processing

Output | 16 million tons/yr

Employees | n/a

Company Website | ussteel.com/locations/minntac

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