Gov. Mark Dayton and Senate DFLers are still seeking a special session to help Steelworkers whose unemployment will run out between now and March. They also seek economic measures to address racial disparities in the state. As we discussed last week, House Republicans declined to support such a session unless Dayton established support for two controversial projects, the… Read More →
Is this the 1980s again on the Iron Range?
November 23, 2015 by 20 Comments
I grew up in the 1980s on a junkyard just a few miles south of Eveleth Taconite. Growing up on a junkyard is probably the best way to understand the things humans build, sell, use and discard. So let’s consider a new car. I’ve only ever bought one brand new car fresh off the lot. It… Read More →
Cliffs will idle another Iron Range mine through March
November 17, 2015 by 1 Comment
This morning Cliffs Natural Resources announced that beginning on Dec. 1 it would idle Northshore Mining in Babbitt and Silver Bay at least through March of 2016. Cliffs also announced that already-idled United Taconite in Eveleth would remain shut down at least that long as well. Company leaders say the shutdown will end when market conditions… Read More →
Cliffs seeks permits for value-added iron
August 12, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Cliffs Natural Resources faces several serious problems: huge debt, an anemic iron ore price, tougher global competition. Nevertheless, Cliffs is announcing that it the company is moving on its proposals to convert a production line at Northshore Mining to direct-reduced iron and to add a flux pellet at the soon-to-be-idled United Taconite. The Mesabi Daily News… Read More →
With contracts looming, Range mines crunch numbers
June 22, 2015 by Leave a Comment
No matter your job or politics, ten dollars is always ten dollars. By some reports, that’s how much money some Iron Range mines need to shave off their cost for a ton of taconite iron ore to survive the coming global steel industry contraction. John Myers at the Duluth News Tribune reported on this last weekend, highlighting… Read More →
Cliffs lays off 100 Iron Range salaried workers
May 4, 2015 by 1 Comment
On Monday, Cliffs Natural Resources announced 100 job cuts at its Northern Minnesota mines affecting salaried workers at Hibbing Taconite, United Taconite in Eveleth and Northshore Mining in Babbitt and Silver Bay. Cliffs had declared optimism about avoiding Iron Range shutdowns just last week, but also unveiled a mine closure in Michigan and huge first quarter losses…. Read More →
Cliffs optimistic even as other Iron Range mines struggle
April 30, 2015 by Leave a Comment
UPDATE: Post amended to add Cliffs plant shutodown in Michigan. We’ve spend an exhausting amount of digital ink and radio blathering on the struggles facing Iron Range mines amid a global contraction in steelmaking and iron ore. U.S. Steel properties in Northern Minnesota are preparing for shutdown that could last the rest of the year, while… Read More →
New Cliffs leadership commits to iron ore strategy
August 26, 2014 by 2 Comments
After a dramatic company shake-up last month, the new CEO of Cliffs Natural Resources is vowing to focus on mining, processing, and shipping iron ore from the Great Lakes region, especially from the Mesabi Iron Range. Cliffs operates and co-owns half the mines on the Iron Range, including Hibbing Taconite, United Taconite in Eveleth and… Read More →
ABC’s Elizabeth Vargas visits Range for arson story
April 24, 2014 by 1 Comment
Though I failed to say anything about it when it was happening, the talk of the Iron Range some time ago was the Babbitt fire chief who was caught setting fires. I didn’t say anything because it was kind of a sad story (the guy has some problems), not one befitting of my normal snark… Read More →
Northern Minnesota mining on Al Jazeera America
October 24, 2013 by 4 Comments
Your intrepid regional writer will be doing something quite new this evening. Tonight, at 6:30 CST, I’ll be a guest on “The Stream” on the new national cable network Al Jazeera America. You might know Qatar-based AlJazeera as a Middle Eastern news network but they’ve been expanding into an international news service for years, including… Read More →
