Author
Phil Davies
Senior Writer (former)
Hard rock café
Iron Ore Mines
| 1. Magnetation waste ore reclamation plantShow/hide details |
|---|
| Owner/developer |
| Magnetation, LLC, Grand Rapids, Minn. |
| Description |
| Facility near Coleraine, Minn., will supply iron concentrate to a steel plant in Mexico and a Magnetation pellet plant in Indiana. |
| Status |
| Construction design; opening slated for early 2015 |
| Capital Cost |
| $300 million including pellet plant |
| 2. Essar taconite plantShow/hide details |
|---|
| Owner/developer |
| Essar Group, India |
| Description |
| Open-pit mine and iron concentrating and pelletizing plant in Nashwauk, Minn., on site of disused taconite plant. |
| Status |
| Construction suspended |
| Capital Cost |
| $1.7 billion |
| 3. Gogebic Taconite MineShow/hide details |
|---|
| Owner/developer |
| Cline Resource and Development, W.Va. |
| Description |
| Large open-pit iron mine and processing facility in Penokee Hills near Mellen, Wis. Would be the Badger State’s first active iron mine in 30 years. |
| Status |
| Conducting test drilling |
| Capital Cost |
| $1.5 billion |
Nonferrous Materials
| 4. NorthMetShow/hide details |
|---|
| Owner/developer |
| PolyMet Mining, Canada |
| Description |
| Open-pit copper and nickel mine and processing plant near Hoyt Lakes, Minn. |
| Status |
| In environmental review |
| Capital Cost |
| $475 million |
| 5. Twin MetalsShow/hide details |
|---|
| Owner/developer |
| Twin Metals Minnesota LLC |
| Description |
| Large underground copper and nickel mine southeast of Ely, Minn. Backed by Antofagasta PLC, a Chilean mining conglomerate. |
| Status |
| Prefeasibility drilling and assaying |
| Capital Cost |
| Up to $2 billion |
| 6. Eagle MineShow/hide details |
|---|
| Owner/developer |
| Lundin Mining, Canada |
| Description |
| Underground mine 25 miles west of Marquette, Mich. Ore containing nickel, copper and precious metals would be trucked 65 miles to a former taconite facility for processing. |
| Status |
| Under construction, scheduled opening end of 2014 |
| Capital Cost |
| $725 million |
| 7. Copperwood MineShow/hide details |
|---|
| Owner/developer |
| Highland Copper Co., Canada |
| Description |
| Copper and silver mine near the Porcupine Mountains in Gogebic County. Highland acquired the partially developed site from another firm this year and plans to bring it into production. |
| Status |
| “Shovel ready”; has received all major permits |
| Capital Cost |
| Undisclosed |
| 8. White Pine MineShow/hide details |
|---|
| Owner/developer |
| Highland Copper Co., Canada |
| Description |
| Highland also recently purchased this former copper mine in neighboring Ontonagon County. The last operating copper mine in the U.P. before it closed in 1995. |
| Status |
| Exploratory drilling planned |
| Capital Cost |
| Undisclosed |
| 9. Back Forty ProjectShow/hide details |
|---|
| Owner/developer |
| Aquila Resources, Canada |
| Description |
| Open-pit copper, zinc, gold and silver mine in Menominee County, Mich. |
| Status |
| Prefeasibility drilling and analysis |
| Capital Cost |
| $225 million |
| 10. Dewey Burdock MineShow/hide details |
|---|
| Owner/developer |
| Powertech Uranium Corp., Canada |
| Description |
| In situ uranium mine near Edgemont, S.D., on southwestern flank of Black Hills. Backed by a Hong Kong-based investment group that recently merged with Powertech. |
| Status |
| Moving through permitting process |
| Capital Cost |
| $54 million |
| 11. Black Butte Copper MineShow/hide details |
|---|
| Owner/developer |
| Tintina Resources, Canada |
| Description |
| Underground copper mine near White Sulphur Springs, Mont. Estimated production of 62 million pounds over 11-year mine life. |
| Status |
| Conducting exploratory drilling |
| Capital Cost |
| $230 million |
| 12. Butte Highlands Gold ProjectShow/hide details |
|---|
| Owner/developer |
| ISR Capital, Idaho |
| Description |
| Underground gold mine 15 miles south of Butte, Mont., on a site that was first mined in the 1800s. |
| Status |
| Under construction, awaiting operating permit |
| Capital Cost |
| Undisclosed |
| 13. Montanore Silver-Copper ProjectShow/hide details |
|---|
| Owner/developer |
| Mines Management, Washington State |
| Description |
| Mine south of Libby, Mont., containing an estimated 60 million lbs. of copper and 8 million oz. of silver. |
| Status |
| In environmental review; delays due to legal disputes |
| Capital Cost |
| Undisclosed |
Source: Mining firms, regulatory agencies and media reports
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