New agreement keeps Michigan’s Empire Mine open
Published: February 28, 2014
CN - Jeff Robertson
Photo by Jeff Robertson
MARQUETTE, Mich. – The Empire Taconite Mine served by Canadian National and the Lake Superior & Ishpeming Railroad will remain open for two more years, mine owner Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. says. The mine would have closed at the end of this year, which could have drastically reduced shipments through CN’s ex-Chicago & North Western dock at Escanaba. While the mine is served by both railroads, the majority of the traffic is handled by CN.
Cliffs reached a revised commercial agreement with ArcelorMittal USA Inc. to supply iron ore pellets for an additional two years through the end of Jan. 2017, with a mutual option to extend for a third year.
The Empire mine is located on the Marquette Iron Range, about 15 miles southwest of Marquette. Cliffs has a 79 percent ownership of Empire and a subsidiary of ArcelorMittal has retained the remaining 21 percent ownership.
Trains magazine covered the iron ore industry in the April 2014 issue.
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