Mesabi Nugget’s $300 million iron nugget facility near Aurora and Hoyt Lakes is fine-tuning its processing equipment and ramping up production rates.

Over a recent month-long period, the plant produced a record of approximately 10,000 tons of iron nuggets. The goal is to reach 500,000 metric tons per year.

Mesabi Nugget … read more »

Essar Steel Minnesota this summer is blasting rock formations in preparation for the pouring of concrete for building foundations.

The $1.6 billion taconite, direct-reduced iron and steel slab facility is being built by Essar Steel Minnesota near Nashwauk. The project is permitted to produce 4.1 million tons of iron ore pellets per year. However, Essar Steel Minnesota … read more »

A United Taconite stockpile visible from Highway 53 near Virginia has been reshaped and vegetated with a variety of trees and plant life under a Laurentian Vision Partnership initiative.

Iron Range Resources, Cliffs Natural Resources, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Lands & Minerals Division and the University of Minnesota Department of Landscape Architecture, College of Design, … read more »

Six innovative business ideas developed by northeastern Minnesotans are semifinalists in the statewide Minnesota Cup competition.

Krisara Engineering, a concept for a better cardiac pacemaker, entered in the competition by Dan Ewert, Iron Range Engineering Program director, is one of ten semifinalists in the BioSciences Division.

Within the Student Division, two northeastern Minnesota ideas are semifinalists. Power Trowel Solution Applicator, a solution on-demand design, is entered by Austin Mekash. Pedal Powered Canoe, … read more »

A $6.8 million photovoltaic solar manufacturing plant will be constructed in Mountain Iron with financial support from Iron Range Resources approved at the June 17, 2010, Iron Range Resources Board meeting.

Silicon Energy MN, LCC will build a 25,000 square-foot facility in Mountain Iron that will employ 15 full-time workers initially. Five to seven new production line … read more »

A Perkins restaurant opened Monday, May 24, 2010, along Highway 169 in Mountain Iron.

The restaurant will employ a total of 118 workers, including full and part time positions.  Located at Rock Ridge Development, across Highway 169 from Mountain Iron city offices and Merritt Elementary School, the facility features seating for 161 people and parking … read more »

Six abandoned Iron Range mine pits were stocked in May with a total of 2,450 pounds of rainbow trout under an Iron Range Resources Mineland Reclamation program.

Fish were stocked in mid-May in the Lake Ore-Be-Gone, St. James and Mott mine pits. Fish were stocked in late May in the Kinney, Judson and LaRue mine pits. The … read more »

The 28-bed facility, projected to open in November 2010, will create … read more »

A new recycling center in the city of Hibbing is under construction.

The recycling center is being built at the site of the city’s former North wastewater treatment plant, adjacent to Hibbing Raceway. Built in 1938, the North wastewater plant has been closed since 2003, following an expansion to the city’s South wastewater facility.

Iron Range Resources provided a $150,000 Commercial Community Redevelopment … read more »

Arrowhead University’s Iron Range Engineering program has won the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MNSCU) 2010 Excellence in Curriculum Programming Award.

The award is given to programs that demonstrate a high rate of employment; transfer or enrollment in graduate school after graduation; make effective use of technology; generate … read more »