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United States
United Taconite Mine (Cleveland-Cliffs 'Steelmaking segment' Operation)

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 Location:
71 km NW from Duluth, Minnesota, United States

  Address:
8470 Townline Road
Forbes
Minnesota, United States
55738
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  • Overview
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  • Mining
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  • Fleet
  • Personnel
  • Filings & News

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Overview

StageProduction
Mine TypeOpen Pit
Commodities
  • Iron Ore
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Production Start...
Mine Life51 years (as of Jan 1, 2021)
The United Taconite Property (UTAC) includes the Thunderbird Mine North (TBN) and Thunderbird Mine South (TBS), collectively the Thunderbird Mine, in Eveleth, Minnesota and the Fairlane processing facility (Fairlane Facility or the Plant) in Forbes, Minnesota. The Thunderbird Mine is a large, operating, open-pit iron mine that produces pellets from a magnetite iron ore regionally known as taconite.


Owners

Source: p. 6,37
CompanyInterestOwnership
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. 100 % Indirect
United Taconite LLC (operator) 100 % Direct
The operator of the Property, United Taconite LLC, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.

Contractors

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Deposit Type

  • Banded iron formation


Summary:

The TBN and TBS deposits are examples of Lake Superior-type banded iron formation (BIF) deposits.

The iron ore deposit exploited on the Property was originally subdivided into two areas, TBN and TBS. United Taconite still retains the Thunderbird nomenclature in a number of publications and unpublished company reports.

The Thunderbird deposits are overlain by Pleistocene glacial till, outwash, and lacustrine sediment. Overburden thicknesses average approximately 50 ft; however, thicknesses up to 199 ft have been drilled at TBS. Glacial sediment is generally thinnest on the northern portion of the Property and thickens to the south and west.

Mineralization
Magnetite-bearing taconite is currently the principal iron-bearing rock of economic interest on the property. In line with other Superior-type iron formations, magnetite-bearing intervals within the Biwabik IF occur as laterally extensive, stratiform intervals. Economically mineable magnetite occurs exclusively within granular iron-formation (cherty) units of the Biwabik IF.

Magnetite formed during diagenesis of precursor iron hydroxides, carbonates, and silicates in the primary iron-formation chemical sediment. Reduction of ferric iron and subsequent ferrous iron mobility within the sedimentary package played a key role in magnetite formation. Units with high primary permeability and porosity display a predilection to formation of magnetite. The high total iron content of t ........


Mining Methods

  • Truck & Shovel / Loader


Summary:

United Taconite operations consist of an open pit truck and shovel mine where two stages of crushing occur before the ore is transported by rail, operated by CN, to the plant site.

The Thunderbird Mine North (TBN) and Thunderbird Mine South (TBS) are mined using conventional surface mining methods. The surface operations include:
• Overburden (glacial till) removal.
• Drilling and blasting (excluding overburden).
• Loading and haulage.
• Crushing and rail loading.

The Mineral Reserve is based on the ongoing annual average crude ore production of approximately 15.4 MLT per year (MLT/y) from TBN and TBS, producing an average of 5.1 MLT/y of wet pellets for domestic consumption.

The current LOM plan has mining for 51 years and mines the known Mineral Reserve. The average strip ratio is 1.1 waste units to 1 crude ore unit (1.1 strip ratio).

Within TBN, a previously mined out and backfilled area known as the Auburn pit will require a modified wall design to incorporate a wall containing both unconsolidated fill and in situ rock. The walls of the Auburn pit will align to an overall wall angle of 31°. In the unconsolidated fill, this is accomplished by the 36° angle of repose and 10 ft CB every bench. In the in situ rock, this is accomplished by the 70° BFA and 45 ft CB every bench. These configurations will allow for a uniform toe across the bench.

The final TBN pit is approximately 4.1 mi long along strike, ........


Crushing and Grinding
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Processing

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Summary:

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Production:

CommodityUnits2022202120202019201820172016
Iron Ore M long tons  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required5.24.81.5
All production numbers are expressed as pellets.
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Operational Metrics:

Metrics202220212020201920182017
Annual production capacity  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required5.4 M long tons of iron ore pellets5.4 M long tons of iron ore pellets5.4 M long tons of iron ore pellets
Ore tonnes mined  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required15.9 M long tons14.5 M long tons13.7 M long tons
Waste  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required22.6 M long tons16.6 M long tons15.1 M long tons
Tonnes milled  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required15.1 M long tons14.6 M long tons13.7 M long tons
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Reserves at December 31, 2022:
Mineral Resources are estimated at a cut-off grade of 17% MagFe.
Mineral Reserves are estimated at a cut-off grade of 17% MagFe.

CategoryTonnage CommodityGrade
Proven 128 M long tons Iron (magnetite) 23.1 %
Probable 631 M long tons Iron (magnetite) 22.1 %
Proven & Probable 759 M long tons Iron (magnetite) 22.3 %
Measured 92 M long tons Iron (magnetite) 23.6 %
Indicated 639 M long tons Iron (magnetite) 22.2 %
Measured & Indicated 731 M long tons Iron (magnetite) 22.4 %
Inferred 26 M long tons Iron (magnetite) 21.5 %

Commodity Production Costs:

CommodityUnits2022
Cash costs Iron Ore USD  ......  Subscription required&nbs
^ Guidance / Forecast.
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Financials:

Units2022
Capital expenditures (planned) M USD  ......  Subscription required
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Water Supply

Water supply for the sites consists of a combination of potable water from the local utility, groundwater wells, river, and mine pits.

Makeup water sourced from the St. Louis River with a permitted maximum of 4.01 billion gallons per year.

Groundwater is extracted for the sole purpose of potable water with a permitted maximum of 13.5 million gallons per year.

In-pit dewatering activities have a permitted maximum of 6.1 billion gallons per year. Maximum in-pit dewatering discharge rates permitted under the current NPDES is 13.0 million gallons per day and 5.8 million gallons per day at selected discharge outfalls.


Heavy Mobile Equipment as of December 31, 2021:
HME TypeModelSizeQuantity
Dozer (crawler) ....................... Subscription required 57 cu. yd ....................... Subscription required
Drill (blasthole) ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required
Excavator ....................... Subscription required 38 cu. yd ....................... Subscription required
Grader ....................... Subscription required 16 ft ....................... Subscription required
Loader ....................... Subscription required 37 cu. yd ....................... Subscription required
Truck (haul) ....................... Subscription required 240 tons ....................... Subscription required
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Mine Management:

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Mar 22, 2023
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Mar 22, 2023
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Mar 22, 2023
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Mar 22, 2023
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Mar 22, 2023
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Mar 22, 2023
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Mar 22, 2023
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Mar 22, 2023
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Mar 14, 2022
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Staff:

EmployeesYear
Subscription required 2022
Subscription required 2021
Subscription required 2020
Subscription required 2019
Subscription required 2018
Subscription required 2017
Subscription required 2016
Subscription required 2015

Corporate Filings & Presentations:

DocumentYear
Fact Sheet 2022
................................... Subscription required 2021
................................... Subscription required 2021
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2019
Fact Sheet 2018
Form 10-K 2018
Fact Sheet 2017
Form 10-K 2017
Annual Report 2016
Annual Report 2015
Annual Report 2014
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