USS Keetac

A United States Steel Corp. capital investment program at its Minnesota Ore Operations Keetac iron ore pellet production facility in Keewatin will boost production by 3.6 million tons per year. The program would increase production, enhance overall environmental performance, support the facility’s long-term viability, and create construction jobs and new permanent jobs.

It would take about 36 months after the permitting process to complete and modernize a pellet production line that has been idle at the plant since 1980. Restarting the line would involve energy-efficient technologies in addition to new emission controls to exceed current environmental standards. Annual production capacity would increase to 9.6 million tons, making it the second largest taconite plant on Minnesota’s Iron Range.

In addition to increasing production and improving environmental standards, there will be upgrades to mining, concentrating, and agglomerating processes to support the increased production requirements. The program includes the purchase of additional mining equipment and the installation of additional processing equipment. Minnesota Ore Operations, which includes Keetac and Minntac Mine in Mountain Iron, is Minnesota’s largest producer of iron ore pellets, the key ingredient used to make steel.
The production of additional iron ore pellets benefits local communities and the state through the payment of taconite taxes.

Project News

KeeTac expansion moves forward

One of the two necessary agencies has determined the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed KeeTac mine expansion Read More »

Comments wanted on proposed Keetac expansion

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, is seeking public Read More »

Expansion Excitement In Keewatin

Now there's another positive step for one of the mines with the release of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for Read More »

Keetac Expansion: EIS Finished

It's another step towards the finish line, for the long-awaited expansion at Keewatin Taconite.
The government agencies working on the Read More »

Keetac expansion hearing draws crowd

U.S. Steel is planning to modernize and restart an idled taconite pellet production line at Keetac. Read More »

Keetac expansion would extend life of mine

Without U.S. Steel’s proposed expansion of its Keewatin Taconite iron ore processing operation, its ore body will be exhausted in Read More »

Keetac Expansion Meeting

Support is strong from the unions, for the proposed expansion at Keewatin Read More »

Public comment period opens for Keetac Draft EIS

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced Monday it is seeking Read More »

Keetac announces $300 million expansion

KEEWATIN, MN – United States Steel executives announced Friday on Minnnesota’s Iron Range they plan a $300 million expansion at Read More »

U.S. Steel: It's a go on KeeTac $300 million expansion

KEEWATIN - A major expansion of Keewatin Taconite, one of six taconite plants on the Range, got the formal go-ahead Read More »

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