Mesabi Nugget Aurora
Large load · 6500 Hwy 135 N, Aurora, MN
Mesabi Nugget is an iron nugget plant at Aurora in St. Louis County, Minnesota, that converts iron ore concentrate to iron nuggets in a rotary hearth furnace. Steel Dynamics idled its Minnesota ironmaking operations including Mesabi Nugget in May 2015, and the plant remained idled through 2024. Minnesota Power served the plant, and a 2009 transmission plan described a load of approximately 25 MW for Phase I.
Overview
Coals, fluxes, binders, and iron ore concentrate are formed into green balls and fed to a rotary hearth furnace, where they are converted to metallic iron. The permit describes production of iron nuggets at a rate of 600,000 metric tons per year. The first batch of iron nuggets was produced on January 12, 2010.
Profile
- Electricity and grid
- Minnesota Power's 2009 planning said that to serve the approximately 25 MW Phase I load it constructed a radial tap off the Hoyt Lakes to Laskin 138 kV line, ending at the Skibo 138/13.8 Substation. The same plan said Phase II was expected to increase peak demand to approximately 50 MW. A 2008 report said Mesabi Nugget expected to buy 25 megawatts from Minnesota Power, growing to 75 megawatts at a 1.5 million metric ton build-out. Minnesota Power is a transmission owning member of MISO.
- Ownership
- EPA lists Steel Dynamics Inc as parent company and Kobe Steel USA Holdings Inc as a part parent owner. At the 2007 announcement Steel Dynamics held an 81% equity share and Kobe Steel 19%.
- Idling and restart agreement
Facility
- Activity
- iron nuggets from iron ore concentrate
- Industry
- Mining
- Site type
- Facility
- Operating status
- Idled
Reported May 26, 2015
Permits and agreements
- Permit
- NPDES/SDS Permit MN0067687
- Agreement
- Amended and Restated Electric Service Agreement
Related records
Timeline
- Jan 13, 2010
- First iron nuggets announced
Steel Dynamics Announces First Production of Mesabi Nuggets - Steel Dynamics
- May 26, 2015
- Minnesota operations idled
Steel Dynamics Announces Indefinite Idle of Minnesota Operations - Steel Dynamics
- Mar 28, 2024
- Order cites amended electric service agreement tied to a restart
mn.gov