The company said the 66-hole blast fractured about 211,000 tons of ore and keeps it on schedule for first pellet production later in the third quarter.
Mesabi Metallics said it has completed the first production blast at its Nashwauk, Minnesota project, marking a key step toward launching what it describes as the first new iron ore mine and pellet plant built in Minnesota in nearly fifty years. The company said the 66-hole blast broke roughly 211,000 tons of ore and opened the first ramp into the bottom of the pit, allowing 400-ton haul trucks to begin moving ore out of the ground. The company said the milestone keeps the project on schedule for first pellet production later in the third quarter. Shane Holman, General Manager – Mine, Mesabi Metallics, said the ore from the blast will be processed into DR-grade pellets (iron ore pellets used in direct reduced iron steelmaking). Joe Broking CEO of Mesabi Metallics said each ton mined represents American jobs, investment and industrial capability. Mesabi Metallics linked the blast to its July 4 announcement of “Patriot Pellet,” the brand name for its DR-grade iron ore pellet produced on the Iron Range. The company said weekly blasting is expected to continue as the mine moves toward full-scale production for the steel industry. Mesabi Metallics, an Essar Group company, said the project represents an approximately $2.5 billion investment and is intended to strengthen domestic supply of raw materials for steel, infrastructure, shipbuilding, defense and manufacturing.