Cleveland-Cliffs Minorca Mine
Large load · 5950 OLD HIGHWAY 53 NORTH, Virginia, MN
The Minorca Mine is an iron ore operation near Virginia, Minnesota, on the Mesabi Iron Range. It produces customized fluxed pellets for blast furnaces, and Minnesota Power supplies its electricity under a long-term electric service contract. Cleveland-Cliffs gained local control of the mine through its purchase of ArcelorMittal USA, and in 2025 the company idled it temporarily as pellet inventories built up. As of 2026 the company had not announced a restart.
Overview
In March 2025 Cleveland-Cliffs said it would temporarily idle the Minorca Mine and partially idle the nearby Hibbing Taconite operation, citing excess pellet inventory produced in 2024 and the need to rebalance working capital. About 630 workers were affected, and the company said the idling would begin after the federal WARN notice period of 60 days. Regional coverage linked the decision to softer automotive steel demand and tariff uncertainty. The company later described the idling as temporary but gave no restart date, and its 2026 earnings calls did not mention bringing either Iron Range mine back online.
Profile
- Electric service from Minnesota Power
- Minnesota Power agreed in November 2015 to provide electricity to ArcelorMittal’s Minorca mine under a 10-year electric service contract, which was subject to regulatory approval and ran through December 2025. The contract was subject to regulatory approval. ALLETE’s chief executive called the contract a commitment to the future of mining on the Iron Range, and ArcelorMittal said the arrangement met its energy needs in a competitive manner. Minnesota Power’s own large-industrial fact sheet lists the mine among the large industrial customers in its territory.
- Ownership and output
- Cleveland-Cliffs bought ArcelorMittal USA in a $1.4 billion deal that gave it local control of the Minorca Mine in Virginia and a majority stake in Hibbing Taconite. The company said it would control four Range mines if the purchase was approved, including Northshore, United Taconite, Hibbing Taconite and Minorca. Minorca has produced about 3 million tons of customized fluxed pellets a year for ArcelorMittal’s flagship blast furnace at Indiana Harbor Works near Chicago, and it kept running fully during the 2015 steel downturn.
Facility
- Activity
- Iron ore fluxed pellets
- Industry
- Mining
- Site type
- Facility
- Operating status
- Idled
Permits and agreements
- Agreement
- Ten-year electric service agreement with Minnesota Power, through December 2025, subject to regulatory approval
Related records
Timeline
- Nov 24, 2015
- Minnesota Power agrees to supply electricity to the Minorca mine through December 2025
Minnesota Power Signs 10-Year Contract to Supply Electricity to World's Largest Steelmaker
- Mar 20, 2025
- Cleveland-Cliffs announces a temporary idling of the Minorca Mine
The supply-demand issue causing Cliffs to idle Minorca Mine, HibTac
- Feb 9, 2026
- Cliffs earnings call makes no mention of restarting the idled Iron Range mines
Cliffs leaders share no update on Iron Range mines