ST. PAUL, MN (Northern News Now) – After many legal battles, an executive council has officially approved giving Cleveland-Cliffs the mineral leases for Mesabi Metallics’ old site in Nashwauk.
The decision was made during an executive council meeting at the State Capitol Thursday, after a recommendation by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources earlier this month.
Documents say the motion was approved unanimously on a voice vote to approve the taconite leases.
This comes several months after the Minnesota Supreme Court decided not to review the DNR’s ruling that pulled Mesabi Metallics’ mineral leases.
Mesabi Metallics had been hoping to build a mining and pelletization plant on the former Essar site in Nashwauk. But DNR leaders claimed Mesabi Metallics didn’t meet the terms of the lease agreement, for reasons that included not making certain payments on time. So the DNR terminated Mesabi Metallics’ leases.
After that decision, Cleveland-Cliffs leaders expressed interest in the leases, as they anticipate their HibTac site in Hibbing will run out of iron ore in the next few years.
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