Magnetation explores using Essar’s Itasca Co. rail line

While there remains economic questions about Essar Steel’s ability to deliver on a full iron mine and steel mill on Minnesota’s Iron Range, there is a glimmer of possibility that the massive public investment in the project won’t be for naught. Magnetation, Inc., the relatively low-budget iron ore scavenging operation that is extracting ore from the mine dumps of the West Range from the old days has expressed interest in using the Essar rail lines. This from Sunday’s Grand Rapids Herald-Review.

It must be stressed, however, that Magnetation is fundamentally a salvage operation, compared with the mining employment that is being lost. Mining is vital to the Iron Range economy. A non-mining economic sector is vital to our future.