A major hurdle was passed Tuesday for the Minnesota Steel project to build a $1.6 billion iron ore mining and steelmaking facility in Nashwauk Minnesota when the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (PCA) issued the permit authorizing the construction and operation of the facility.
Minnesota Steel Industries now has all of the permits in place to construct the facility, which is expected to occur over a 6-year period. The facility will include an open pit taconite mine capable of producing over 13 million mt of ore annually, a crusher, concentrator, pelletizer, DRI facility and an electric arc furnace capable of producing 2.5 million mt of slab for direct shipment or for onsite rolling to produce hot rolled coils.
Iron Range Resources Commissioner Sandy Layman told press, "With all of its permits now in hand, Minnesota Steel can move quickly to finalize its financing and begin construction."
The project will be located near Nashwauk, Minnesota at the site of the former Butler Taconite Mining Company operations.