Mesabi Nugget Project

Decision to terminate the Mesabi Mining Environmental Impact Statement

Pursuant to Minnesota Rules part 4410.6200 subpart 5, Mesabi Mining LLC has voluntarily terminated the Mesabi Mining Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process that began in 2008 and had a Final Scoping Decision Document issued on December 9, 2008. The project has encountered evolving regulatory criteria and project adjustments such that the DNR has determined EIS scoping would need to be redone. Discussions between DNR and the company have determined that the most logical next step is to terminate the current EIS project at this time. The company can choose to start a new EIS process for the project at a later date.

• Mesabi Mining EIS Letter of Notice

Project Information

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the Responsible Governmental Unit (RGU) for conducting an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Mesabi Nugget Phase II Project. The EIS is being jointly conducted with the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

Mesabi Nugget is proposing to reactivate the former LTV taconite mine as well as construct a new crusher and concentrating plant near Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota. Portions of the concentrate produced will be used in an existing iron nugget demonstration plant; the remainder will be shipped to the proposer's facilities in other states or sold on the open market.

The DNR and USACE have revised the Draft Scoping Decision Document based on the full scoping record and have issued the Final Scoping Decision Document and a summary of and responses to comments in preparation of an EIS. The Final Scoping Decision Document identifies the issues and analyses that will be included in the EIS for the proposed project. The documents reflect only the information that is available at this time.

Questions may be directed to Lisa Fay, EIS Project Manager, at 651-259-5110.

Final Scoping Decision

• Final Scoping Decision Document
• EIS Scoping Procedures and Responses to Comments

Scoping Environmental Assessment Worksheet / DSDD

• Cover Letter (43 kb)
• Scoping Environmental Assessment Worksheet (518 kb)
• Draft Scoping Decision Document (157 kb)

• Figure 5-1 Project Location
• Figure 5-2 USGS Quad
• Figure 5-3 Site Location
• Figure 6-1 2WX Pit Cross Section
• Figure 6-2 2WX Stockpile Cross Section
• Figure 6-3a Proposed Road Widening
• Figure 6-3b Road Cross Section
• Figure 6-4 Crusher Area
• Figure 6-5 Crusher Concentrator Flow Sheet
• Figure 6-6 Plant Area
• Figure 6-7 Nugget Plant
• Figure 9-1 Existing Land Use
• Figure 9-2 Proposed Land Use
• Figure 9-3 LTV Closure Areas
• Figure 11-1 Rare Plants
• Figure 12-1 Area 2WX Wetland Impacts
• Figure 12-2 Area 6 Wetland Impacts
• Figure 12-3 Plant Site and Pit 1 Wetland Impacts
• Figure 12-4 Public Waters Impacts
• Figure 13-1 Water Balance
• Figure 13-2 Well Use
• Figure 13-3 Piezometric Levels
• Figure 14-1 Zoning Map
• Figure 17-1 Major Watersheds
• Figure 17-2 Minor Watersheds
• Figure 19-1 Soils Map
• Figure 30-1 Aurora Sill Position
• Figures 17-3,4,5 Receiving Waters