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United States
Peter Mitchell (Northshore) Mine (U.S. Iron Ore Operation)

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 Location:
99 km N from Duluth, Minnesota, United States

  Address:
10 Outer Drive
Silver Bay
Minnesota, United States
55614
Phone  ...  Subscription required
WebsiteWeb
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  • Overview
  • Owners
  • Geology
  • Mining
  • Processing
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  • Reserves
  • Personnel
  • Filings & News

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Overview

StageProduction
Mine TypeOpen Pit
Commodities
  • Iron Ore
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Processing
  • Magnetic separation
  • Rotary kiln & Electric furnace
Latest NewsCleveland-Cliffs Announces Iron Ore Mining and Pelletizing Production Adjustments     April 13, 2020


Owners & OPERATOR

Source: p. 36, 160
CompanyInterestOwnership
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. 100 % Indirect
Northshore Mining Co. (operator) 100 % Direct
Northshore Mining Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.

Deposit Type

  • Sedimentary
  • Banded iron formation


Summary:

The Northshore mine is located in northeastern Minnesota, approximately two miles south of Babbitt, Minnesota, on the northeastern end of the Mesabi Iron Range.

The Mesabi Iron Range is a mining district in northeastern Minnesota following an elongate trend containing large deposits of iron ore. It is the largest of four major iron ranges in the region collectively known as the Iron Range of Minnesota. First described in 1866, it is the chief iron ore mining district in the United States. The district is located largely in Itasca and Saint Louis counties. It has been extensively worked since 1892, and has seen a transition from high- grade direct shipping ores through gravity concentrates to the current industry exclusively producing iron ore (taconite) pellets. Production has been dominantly controlled by vertically integrated steelmakers since 1901, and therefore is dictated largely by US ironmaking capacity and demand.

There are three iron ranges in northern Minnesota, the Cuyuna, the Vermilion, and the Mesabi. Most of the world's iron ore, including that contained in northern Minnesota, was formed during the middle Precambrian. During this period, erosion leveled mountains. This erosion released iron and silica into the waters of a new sea. Marine algae living in this new sea raised the level of atmospheric oxygen. This oxygen catastrophe caused the eroded iron to precipitate into the banded iron formations found in northern Minnesota and other members of the Animikie Group. Over billions of years, geological forces left behind ore deposits of varied quality and concentrations – differences that would determine how the ore was mined from place to place. On the Mesabi Range, stretching 100 miles (160 km) from Grand Rapids to Babbitt, soft ore lay close to the surface, where it could be scooped from open pit mines.

The overall structure of the range is that of a monocline dipping 5 to 15 degrees to the southeast. Key faults include the Calumet, La Rue, Morton, Biwabik, and the Siphon. The Duluth Gabbro complex to the east has caused metamorphic changes in the Biwabik formation. The natural iron ores and the magnetite taconites occur in this Precambrian Biwabik formation, which is a cherty layer 340–750 feet (100–230 m) thick. The natural ores are located in elongated channels or tabular deposits, while the magnetite taconites occur in stratigraphic zones. Natural ores have an iron content of 51 to 57 per cent while the pellets contain 60 to 67 per cent. The natural ores are mainly mixtures of hematite and goethite. The most common silicate is Minnesotaite. Also of note are the presence of algal structures in the Biwabik formation.


Mining Methods

  • Truck & Shovel / Loader


Summary:

Mining is conducted on multiple mineral leases having varying expiration dates. Mining leases routinely are renegotiated and renewed as they approach their respective expiration dates.

Northshore operations consist of an open pit truck and shovel mine.


Crushing and Grinding


Processing

  • Magnetic separation
  • Rotary kiln & Electric furnace

Source: Subscription required

Summary:

In 2019, Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. completed its low silica capital upgrade to produce DR-grade pellets on a commercial scale while maintaining overall production capacity of the Northshore processing facility. The Northshore is able to produce 3.5 million long tons of DR-grade pellets annually, in addition to about 2 million tons of traditional pellets.

During the second quarter of 2019, Northshore mine began supplying DR-grade pellets to Metallics segment, which will be used as feedstock for the HBI production plant when company will begin production in 2020.

Northshore Mining Company (NMC) currently mines taconite, a low-grade iron ore, at its Peter Mitchell mine, which is located near Babbitt, St. Louis County, Minnesota.

The crude ore is transported by rail from the mine to NMC’s taconite processing facility (Facility), located on the north shore of Lake Superior in Silver Bay, Lake County, Minnesota. The crude ore proceeds to fine crushing where it i ........

Recoveries & Grades:

CommodityParameter201920182017201620152014
Iron Ore Recovery Rate, %  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Production:

CommodityUnits201920182017201620152014
Iron Ore M long tons  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required5.33.24.35.2
All production numbers are expressed as pellets.
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Operational Metrics:

Metrics201920182017201620152014
Annual production capacity  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required6 M long tons of iron ore pellets6 M long tons of iron ore pellets6 M long tons of iron ore pellets
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Reserves at December 31, 2018:

CategoryTonnage CommodityGrade
Proven 299.5 M long tons Iron (magnetite) 25.3 %
Probable 535.6 M long tons Iron (magnetite) 23.7 %
Proven & Probable 835.1 M long tons Iron (magnetite) 24.3 %


Heavy Mobile Equipment:

Mine Management:

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Mar 1, 2021
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Mar 1, 2021
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Staff:

EmployeesYear
Subscription required 2020
Subscription required 2019
Subscription required 2018
Subscription required 2017
Subscription required 2016

Corporate Filings & Presentations:

DocumentYear
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2019
................................... Subscription required 2018
................................... Subscription required 2018
Fact Sheet 2017
Form 10-K 2017
Annual Report 2016
Fact Sheet 2016
Annual Report 2015
Annual Report 2014
Other 2005
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

News:

NewsDate
Cleveland-Cliffs Announces Iron Ore Mining and Pelletizing Production Adjustments April 13, 2020
Cleveland-Cliffs Announces Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at its Northshore Mining in Minnesota June 6, 2019

Aerial view:

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