2014/2015 Mineral Development and Exploration Highlights
Minnesota, USA
MINNESOTA
#3 in Non-Fuel
Mineral Production
Value in 2014
WEBSITE FOR INFORMATION
ABOUT MINERALS IN
MINNESOTA
6.1% of total US
Mineral Production
Value
NEW DNR DRILL CORE LIBRARY WEB PAGE
& INTERACTIVE WEB MAP
This new DNR webpage greatly facilitates public access
to the more than three million linear feet of drill core
and other geologic materials archived within the Drill
Core Library in Hibbing. The webpage outlines the
Drill Core Library's mission and provides details for
those interested in viewing, sampling, and/or submitting
drill core materials.
The Minnesota Minerals Coordinating
Committee’s web site
serves as an information clearinghouse for
companies interested
in exploring
Minnesota’s mineral
potential.
An associated interactive web map displays more than
8,500 source locations for the material archived within
the Drill Core Library, with links to drilling information. This user-driven map interface allows anyone with
internet access to compare locations against overlays
of geologic information and state mineral leases. This
kind of interactive manipulation of drill hole and geologic data previously required ArcGIS software.
The site hosts a catalog of downloadable GIS data related
to Minnesota’s ferrous, non-ferrous, and industrial mineral
resources. It also provides information about doing business
in MN, and archives project reports and maps funded by
the committee.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lands_minerals/dc_library.html
http://mcc.mn.gov
RECENT MINERAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
CAPITAL INVESTMENT AND PERMITTING STATUS
Project Related
CapEx(US $)
Year Permit
Issued
1. New taconite iron ore mine pit (ArcelorMittal)
Unknown
2007
2. New taconite iron ore mine, taconite process plant,
& steel mill (Essar Steel Minnesota)
US$1600 Million
2007
3. New pig iron nugget plant near Hoyt Lakes
(Mesabi Nugget LLC)
US$235 Million
2007
4. Iron ore tailings reprocessing plant, Mesabi Chief
Basin (Plant 1, Magnetation LLC)
US$10 Million
(Estimated)
2008
5. 1400 ton bulk sample open pit for Cu + Ni + PGM
(Teck American, Inc.)
6. Manganese ore bulk sample near Emily
(Cooperative Mineral Resources LLC)
US$1 Million
(Estimated)
2008
Unknown
2010
7. New iron ore tailings reprocessing facility, East Trout
Lake & Holman Basins (Plant 2, Magnetation LLC)
US$10 Million
2010
8. Processing plant expansion to increase taconite
pellet production (Cliffs Natural Resources United Taconite)
Unknown
2010 (MPCA)
9. Significant expansion of Keewatin Taconite facility
(U.S. Steel Keewatin Taconite)
>US$300 Million
2011
US$50 Million
2011
Unknown
2012
US$80 Million
2013
Project Description
PRIVATE COMPANY MILESTONES
The December 2013 Draft Supplemental Impact Statement (SEIS) for PolyMet Mining
Corporation’s NorthMet project received a passing grade from the USEPA, and generated approximately 58,000 submissions during a public comment period that ended in
March, 2014. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Federal co-lead
agencies have thoroughly reviewed all of the comments and are currently preparing
responses as well as any necessary revisions to develop the final EIS.
PolyMet Mining
Moving Closer to
SEIS Completion
Antofagasta Investment Company Ltd completed a $US85M acquisition of Canadian
exploration company Duluth Metals Ltd., its joint venture partner in the Twin Metals
Minnesota (TMM) project. Prior to this acquisition, Antofagasta had owned 10% of
Duluth Metals stock, and a 40% stake in the TMM project. A NI 43-101 compliant Prefeasibility Study Technical Report for the TMM project was published by Duluth Metals
on October 9, 2014.
Antofagasta
Acquires
Duluth Metals for
$US85M
Aerial photograph of the northwest portion of
U.S. Steel’s Keetac operation, showing recent
sloping and reclamation activity.
Talon Metals Corp, through its subsidiary Talon Nickel (USA) LLC, entered into a definitive earn-in agreement with Kennecott Exploration Company that will advance and accelerate Kennecott’s Tamarack Project. Under the agreement terms, Talon will incur
$US30M in exploration expenditures at the nickel-copper-platinum project over the
next three years. Talon filed the first independent NI 43-101 compliant technical report
for the project on October 6, 2014. A subsequent winter drilling campaign included two
step-out drill holes with intercepts of high grade Ni-Cu-PGM sulfide mineralization of
15.94 meters at 7.14% Ni (8.49% NiEQ), and 17.34 meters at 6.17% Ni (7.56% NiEQ),
respectively.
Kennecott
Exploration
and
Talon Metals
to Advance the
Tamarack Project
Magnetation LLC, a joint venture between AK Steel and Magnetation Inc., opened a new
Magnetation
iron ore concentrate plant near Grand Rapids, achieving first concentrate production less
Opens New Iron
than ten months after the first concrete pour. The two million tonne per year Plant Four
Ore Concentrate
will be at full production by March, 2015. The company has access to a 100-year supply of
Plant
raw materials within 30 miles of its headquarters in Nashwauk, MN.
Essar Steel Minnesota secured the final financing required to resume and complete construction of its $US1.8 billion taconite plant in Nashwauk. Once completed, the taconite
plant operation will have a nameplate capacity to mine and crush iron ore and produce 7
million tons of iron ore pellets per year.
Essar Steel
Secures Financing
to Resume
Construction
10. New iron ore tailings reprocessing facility in
Chisholm (Plant 3, Mining Resources LLC)
11. Expansion of iron ore tailings reprocessing operation to Plummer Basin (Plant 2, Magnetation LLC)
Magnetation recovers hematite from the Mesabi
Chief Tailings Basin #3 near Keewatin.
12. New iron ore tailings reprocessing operation,
Buckeye/Canisteo Basin (Plant 4, Magnetation LLC)
Unknown
SEIS deemed Adequate,
2011. NPDES/SDS
Permit reissued 2012.
US$40 Million
EAW completed in
2012. State permits and
approvals issued Jan,
2014.(MPCA)
US$312 Million
Supplemental Draft EIS
published Dec, 2013.
Public comment period
ended March 13, 2014.
Unknown
EAW in Progress
Unknown
Permitting in Progress
18. Taconite iron ore pit extension for 2017
(Cliffs Natural Resources United Taconite)
Unknown
EIS in progress for Hwy
53 Relocation
19. Addition of Conetails Stockpile
(Mining Resources LLC )
Unknown
Permitting in Progress
(lease pending)
20. Addition of four off-site tailings basins
(Mining Resources LLC)
Unknown
Permitting in Progress
(lease pending)
21. Additional basins and stockpile material
(Plant 4, Magnetation LLC)
Unknown
2015
22. Dewatering of Canisteo Pit to access potential
resource (Magnetation LLC)
Unknown
EAW in Progress
13. Taconite iron ore pellet plant expansion
(Essar Steel Minnesota)
14. Taconite iron ore pit extension (U.S. Steel Minntac)
Exploration and Investigative Drilling for Metallic Minerals
15. New Cu+Ni+PGM open pit mine and re-use of
former taconite mill and tailings facility
(PolyMet Mining Corp.)
Total Number of Drill Holes and Drill Hole Footage Statewide by Calendar Year
(Definition of Exploratory Boring per Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 103I)
350
322
Number of Drill Holes
381,404 Total Drill Core Footage
435,204 447,140
300
295
322
250
316,670
286,766
Miles of Drill Core
327,606*
216
209
194
200
187
150
139
83
100
46,407
45
28,463
17
64,750* 50
32,855
Last Updated: 30 Dec, 2014
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
* 2013 Total Footage revised, based on new data.
2014 Total Footage includes estimated footage for 17 MnDOT and 40 Iron Ore Cores (500ft/hole)
16. Taconite iron ore pit extension & VFII stockpile plan
(Cliffs Natural Resources Northshore Mining)
17. East taconite iron ore pit extension
(ArcelorMittal)
2014
Number of Drill Holes
381,404
Kennecott Exploration Company drill site near
Tamarack, Minnesota.
EXPLORATION DRILLING
IN MINNESOTA
Mineral exploration completed in 2014: Twin Metals Minnesota LLC drilled 9 holes within the Maturi deposit. Duluth
Metals, Ltd. tested two new targets with 4 drill holes and
discovered contact-type Pt-Pd mineralization prior to the
Antofagasta acquisition. Kennecott Exploration Company
undertook geophysical surveys, completed 12 drill holes,
and initiated an aggressive 2015 winter drilling campaign
within the intrusives that host the Tamarack Cu-Ni deposit.
Four iron ore mining companies conducted exploratory
drilling programs outside of established permit-to-mine
areas and completed 57 drill holes totaling 28,500 feet.
Disclaimer
The State of Minnesota makes no representations or warranties express or implied, with
respect to the use of the information contained herein regardless of its format or the
means of its transmission. There is no guarantee or representation to the user as to the
accuracy, currency, suitability, completeness, usefulness, or reliability of this information
for any purpose. The user accepts the information “as is." The State of Minnesota assumes
no responsibility for loss or damage incurred as a result of any user’s reliance on this
information. All maps, reports, data, and other information contained herein are
protected by copyright. Permission is granted to copy and use the materials herein for
any lawful noncommercial purpose. Any user of this information agrees not to transmit
or provide access to all or any part of this information to another party unless the user
shall include with the information a copy of this disclaimer.
© Minnesota Department of
Natural Resources (DNR)
Division of Lands and Minerals,
February 2015. Director, Jess Richards