9
of embankment volumes in Table 4 needed additional
explanation to achieve all the necessary company approv-
als. .An alternative method of communicating the project
scope based on an undrained shear strength ratio for liq-
uefaction was a significant lesson learned in this project.
Today, Hibbing Taconite Company continues to work with
the Technical Review Board to confirm that work of the
Engineer of Record is defensible and that as the industry
continues to evolve, Hibbing Taconite Company follows
suit in its management of tailings.
CONCLUSION
Lessons Learned:
• Early engagement of regulators is key to a successful
project.
• Construction limits and many other decisions made
during preliminary design can be risky because those
decisions are being made on assumptions of the final
design.
• Transparency builds trust with stakeholders and
regulators.
• Permitting takes time and iterations, early and trans-
parent engagement is a key to successful permitting
efforts.
• Prepare your explanations early, clearly, and suited to
the audience.
• Concision is a key when preparing a project
explanation.
• Conservative assumptions can be costly, as it was at
Hibbing Taconite when an undrained shear strength
ratio for liquefaction of 0.05 was assumed with the
lack of other supporting data.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author would like to thank Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc. for
the opportunity to present this paper.
REFERENCES
AECOM 2009. Root Cause Analysis of TVA Kingston
Dredge Pond Failure on December 22, 2008. US
Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Accessed 6/21/2023 at: www.epw.senate.gov/public
/cache/files/6/9/6953de52-791e-43d2-937e021944b
861df/01AFD79733D77F24A71FEF9DAFCCB056
.aecom-report.pdf
ASDSO 2023. Case Study: Lower Fernando Dam
(California 1971). Association of State Dam Safety
Officials. Accessed 6/21/2023 at: damfailures.org
/case-study/lower-san-fernando-dam-california-1971/
Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc. 2023a. Hibbing Taconite Company.
Fact Sheet. Accessed 6/21/2023 at: d1io3yog0oux5
.cloudfront.net/_374ffa7d060799905a8422c4c9
52827b/clevelandcliffs/db/1188/10374/file/CLF
_FactSheet_HibbingTaconite_032023.pdf
Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc. 2023b. Sustainability Report 2022.
Fact Center. Accessed 6/21/2023 at: d1io3yog0oux5
.cloudfront.net/_374ffa7d060799905a8422c4c9
52827b/clevelandcliffs/db/1188/11490/file/CLF
_SustainabilityReport_2023_Spreads_04032023.pdf
Kuhn, T. S. (1962). The structure of scientific revolutions.
Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
of embankment volumes in Table 4 needed additional
explanation to achieve all the necessary company approv-
als. .An alternative method of communicating the project
scope based on an undrained shear strength ratio for liq-
uefaction was a significant lesson learned in this project.
Today, Hibbing Taconite Company continues to work with
the Technical Review Board to confirm that work of the
Engineer of Record is defensible and that as the industry
continues to evolve, Hibbing Taconite Company follows
suit in its management of tailings.
CONCLUSION
Lessons Learned:
• Early engagement of regulators is key to a successful
project.
• Construction limits and many other decisions made
during preliminary design can be risky because those
decisions are being made on assumptions of the final
design.
• Transparency builds trust with stakeholders and
regulators.
• Permitting takes time and iterations, early and trans-
parent engagement is a key to successful permitting
efforts.
• Prepare your explanations early, clearly, and suited to
the audience.
• Concision is a key when preparing a project
explanation.
• Conservative assumptions can be costly, as it was at
Hibbing Taconite when an undrained shear strength
ratio for liquefaction of 0.05 was assumed with the
lack of other supporting data.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author would like to thank Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc. for
the opportunity to present this paper.
REFERENCES
AECOM 2009. Root Cause Analysis of TVA Kingston
Dredge Pond Failure on December 22, 2008. US
Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Accessed 6/21/2023 at: www.epw.senate.gov/public
/cache/files/6/9/6953de52-791e-43d2-937e021944b
861df/01AFD79733D77F24A71FEF9DAFCCB056
.aecom-report.pdf
ASDSO 2023. Case Study: Lower Fernando Dam
(California 1971). Association of State Dam Safety
Officials. Accessed 6/21/2023 at: damfailures.org
/case-study/lower-san-fernando-dam-california-1971/
Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc. 2023a. Hibbing Taconite Company.
Fact Sheet. Accessed 6/21/2023 at: d1io3yog0oux5
.cloudfront.net/_374ffa7d060799905a8422c4c9
52827b/clevelandcliffs/db/1188/10374/file/CLF
_FactSheet_HibbingTaconite_032023.pdf
Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc. 2023b. Sustainability Report 2022.
Fact Center. Accessed 6/21/2023 at: d1io3yog0oux5
.cloudfront.net/_374ffa7d060799905a8422c4c9
52827b/clevelandcliffs/db/1188/11490/file/CLF
_SustainabilityReport_2023_Spreads_04032023.pdf
Kuhn, T. S. (1962). The structure of scientific revolutions.
Chicago: University of Chicago Press.