Minnesota Is About To Open Its First New Mine In 50 Years

The first iron ore mine to be built in 50 years in Northern Minnesota is preparing to begin production this fall. Work is finishing on Mesabi Metallics near Nashwauk, Minnesota. MPR reports that last week Trump administration officials came to witness the first blasts at Mesabi Metallics' new $2.5 billion iron ore and processing plant.

What caught my attention was that Mesabi Metallics will now produce what they call the "Patriot Pellet."

Mesabi Metallics Introduces The Patriot Pellet

Growing up on the Iron Range, we were familiar with the taconite pellets that were shipped by rail to Duluth through our small towns. So that intrigued me: what's the difference between a Patriot Pellet and a regular taconite pellet?

Ok, so what the heck is Direct Reduction Iron processing, and why should we care?

Traditional steel blast furnaces have used taconite pellets for decades, but as these steel blast furnaces age, they are closing down. The newest of these blast furnaces is over 50 years old.

Electric Arc Furnaces

Steelmaking companies are now using electric arc furnaces to make steel. They are smaller and more efficient, and require DR-grade pellets, like the Patriot Pellet. They use high-voltage electric currents to melt scrap metal and create new steel. The DR pellets are added to these furnaces in the process. Traditional taconite pellets don't work in these new EAF furnaces.

They call it the Patriot Pellet because it allows the United States to continue to make steel in a changing industry without relying on foreign iron ore.

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Mesabi Metallics has enough land leases to operate for the next 20 years while they fight a legal battle to expand. In the meantime, that means about 350 more high-paying jobs on the Iron Range.