Iron Range steel mill fires up region’s hopes
October 29, 07 by TheFleetIf you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
By Larry Oakes | Source: Star Tribune
DULUTH — The news this week that an India-based steelmaker has plans to build a $1.6 billion steel mill in Nashwauk, Minn., where ore was last mined 22 years ago, has people in the downsized town barely able to contain their hopes.
Officials of Essar Global Ltd. told Gov. Tim Pawlenty during his trade trip to India on Thursday that the firm had closed on its acquisition of Minnesota Steel Industries and will proceed with plans to revive a taconite mine in Nashwauk and build Minnesota’s first fully integrated ore-to-steel mill.
The project, which could start early next year, is expected to require 2,000 construction workers and result in a mine and plant with 700 full-time workers. The plan is to produce 1.5 million tons of steel starting in 2009 and eventually increase production to 2.5 million tons per year.
Full story at the Star Tribune >>
