1 July 2010Mesabi Nugget gears up production toward 500,000 metric ton goal
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 is the world’s first commercial-demonstration iron nugget plant. Steel Dynamics, Incorporated is majority owner. Kobe Steel Ltd. of Japan is minority owner. The facility is located on a portion of the former LTV Steel Mining Company site.
The plant produced its first nuggets in January 2010. Iron nuggets produced at the plant are shipped to Steel Dynamics to manufacture high-quality steel.
Iron Range Resources and the state, through the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic development, helped fund the project. The facility employs 80 full-time workers.