XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 3579
Table 1. Major active iron mining operations in the USA
Mine Name State Operator
Year
Opened
Primary
Ore Type
Annual
Production,
mtpa Product References
Keewatin Taconite Minnesota US Steel 1967 Taconite 6 BF and DR grade
iron oxide pellet
US Steel (2023)
Bloomquist (2023)
Minnesota
Taconite
Minnesota US Steel 1967 Taconite 16 BF grade iron oxide
pellet
US Steel (2023)
Hibbing Taconite
Co.
Minnesota Cleveland
Cliffs
1976 Taconite 6.2 BF grade iron oxide
pellet
SLR International
Corporation (2022)
United Taconite
LLC
Minnesota Cleveland
Cliffs
1965 Taconite 5.3 BF grade iron oxide
pellet (high flux)
SLR International
Corporation (2022)
Cleveland-Cliffs
Minorca Mine Inc.
Minnesota Cleveland
Cliffs
1976 Taconite 2.8 BF and DR grade
iron oxide pellet
SLR International
Corporation (2022)
Northshore
Mining Co.
Minnesota Cleveland
Cliffs
1952 Taconite 5 BF and DR grade
iron oxide pellet
SLR International
Corporation (2022)
Lovrien (2022)
Tilden Mining Co. Michigan Cleveland
Cliffs
1974 Hematite 7.7 BF grade iron oxide
pellet
SLR International
Corporation (2022)
BF =blast furnace, DR =direct reduced
Figure 1. Distribution of the iron mines and processing plants on the Mesabi Iron Range. From https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/
lands_minerals/mcc_docs/2016_explore_iron_ore.pdf
screening to produce lumpy ore as well as sintered grade
fines (below 8/6 mm).
The DSO process is not suitable for treating low-grade
or fine-liberating iron ores due to loss of efficiency associ-
ated with the dry processing of fines.
Taconite Processing
Due to the depletion of DSO deposits by 1980, there are no
more direct shipping ores left in the USA. Mining operations
on the Mesabi Iron Range of northern Minnesota and the
Marquette Iron Range of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
shifted their focus to taconite in the mid-1950s (Poveromo,
1999). Taconite, a lower grade Fe ore, is a type of banded Fe
formation (BIF) that is found predominantly in the USA,
particularly in the Lake Superior region. It is a sedimentary
rock containing different Fe-rich minerals, including mag-
netite, hematite, goethite, etc. Despite low head grades of
25–30% recoverable Fe, taconite is beneficiated to produce
Table 1. Major active iron mining operations in the USA
Mine Name State Operator
Year
Opened
Primary
Ore Type
Annual
Production,
mtpa Product References
Keewatin Taconite Minnesota US Steel 1967 Taconite 6 BF and DR grade
iron oxide pellet
US Steel (2023)
Bloomquist (2023)
Minnesota
Taconite
Minnesota US Steel 1967 Taconite 16 BF grade iron oxide
pellet
US Steel (2023)
Hibbing Taconite
Co.
Minnesota Cleveland
Cliffs
1976 Taconite 6.2 BF grade iron oxide
pellet
SLR International
Corporation (2022)
United Taconite
LLC
Minnesota Cleveland
Cliffs
1965 Taconite 5.3 BF grade iron oxide
pellet (high flux)
SLR International
Corporation (2022)
Cleveland-Cliffs
Minorca Mine Inc.
Minnesota Cleveland
Cliffs
1976 Taconite 2.8 BF and DR grade
iron oxide pellet
SLR International
Corporation (2022)
Northshore
Mining Co.
Minnesota Cleveland
Cliffs
1952 Taconite 5 BF and DR grade
iron oxide pellet
SLR International
Corporation (2022)
Lovrien (2022)
Tilden Mining Co. Michigan Cleveland
Cliffs
1974 Hematite 7.7 BF grade iron oxide
pellet
SLR International
Corporation (2022)
BF =blast furnace, DR =direct reduced
Figure 1. Distribution of the iron mines and processing plants on the Mesabi Iron Range. From https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/
lands_minerals/mcc_docs/2016_explore_iron_ore.pdf
screening to produce lumpy ore as well as sintered grade
fines (below 8/6 mm).
The DSO process is not suitable for treating low-grade
or fine-liberating iron ores due to loss of efficiency associ-
ated with the dry processing of fines.
Taconite Processing
Due to the depletion of DSO deposits by 1980, there are no
more direct shipping ores left in the USA. Mining operations
on the Mesabi Iron Range of northern Minnesota and the
Marquette Iron Range of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
shifted their focus to taconite in the mid-1950s (Poveromo,
1999). Taconite, a lower grade Fe ore, is a type of banded Fe
formation (BIF) that is found predominantly in the USA,
particularly in the Lake Superior region. It is a sedimentary
rock containing different Fe-rich minerals, including mag-
netite, hematite, goethite, etc. Despite low head grades of
25–30% recoverable Fe, taconite is beneficiated to produce