The fast-growing scram mining operation Magnetation plans to acquire 1,000 acres of land in Itasca County near Taconite. This land is adjacent to the infamous Canisteo Pit which had posed a serious flood risk to the Iron Range city of Bovey. Recent “de-watering” efforts have stemmed the complaints, but Magnetation is touting its ability to use the excess water from the pit in its proposed pellet/nugget plant process.

Though the company still says that Superior, Wisconsin, and Indiana are contenders for a plant that would process the company’s salvaged iron ore concentrate, this news coupled with the advancement of a recent provision expediting permitting in the Minnesota House, suggests that Itasca County is not only back in the running, but a potential front-runner. Magnetation is headquartered in Grand Rapids, the Itasca County seat.

Northland’s News Center (the local CBS and NBC affiliate) reports: