According to local reports on Wednesday, Nashwauk, Minnesota-based hematite iron ore concentrates producer Magnetation has been searching for sites outside of Minnesota to set up a new iron ore mining site, upsetting the Iron Range and the state of Minnesota. This move comes as a result of strict mercury pollution laws in Minnesota. Besides looking in Superior, Wisconsin, sites in Indiana and Illinois have been checked out as well.
The process that Magnetation uses to produce iron ore produces too much mercury and the company doesn't have a way to curb the excess. Magnetation uses technology that recovers iron from old mining sites and uses that to produce concrete which is turned into pellets for its steel mill partner, AK Steel Corporation. The system will have a mercury control program in place no matter where the site is located in order to meet federally mandated requirements.