From Marquette, Michigan’s TV6:
A Canadian National Railroad locomotive and an LS&I Railroad made contact with a propane tank car at the LS&I Eagle Mills yard early Friday morning. Read the rest of this entry »
Homes Evacuated After Cliffs’ Rail Accident
February 12, 2010
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Cliffs Natural Resources, Health, Michigan | Tagged: cliffs, Michigan, mine safety, Rio Tinto | 
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Posted by LSMN
Cliffs Faces Blockades at Mining Projects in Canada’s Ring of Fire
January 29, 2010Cliffs Natural Resources is facing blockades at some of its chromium exploration sites in a region of northwestern Ontario known as “the Ring of Fire,” located 150 miles west of James Bay.
The area has seen an incredible surge in mine exploration activity, with 4,000 claims staked in the past two years, alone, as part of an effort by over 35 companies to get in on the action before Ontario modernizes its antiquated mining laws. Many of the claims are located on traditional native land, amid concerns that companies and the provincial government have not adequately consulted them, as required by law, before moving ahead with plans.
“Exploration on our traditional land is getting out of hand,” said Marten Falls First Nation Chief Elijah Moonias. “Mineral Exploration companies are not respecting our interests.” Read the rest of this entry »
6 Comments | Canada, civil disobedience, Cliffs Natural Resources, indigenous | Tagged: Canada, cliffs, first nation, ontario | Permalink
Posted by LSMN
Cliffs Cited for Extensive Minnesota Iron Mining Pollution
January 25, 2010
PolyMet plans to purchase this processing site; reportedly, Cliffs would maintain a roughly 7% stake in PolyMet's proposed NorthMet project
Three groups today announced their intent to file a lawsuit against Cliffs Erie, a subsidiary of Cliffs Natural Resources, for ongoing water pollution from previous taconite iron mining at three sites on Minnesota’s Iron Range. PolyMet Mining Co. plans to utilize two of the sites in order to dispose of wastes from its proposed metallic-sulfide NorthMet project. As part of a purchase agreement, Cliffs would maintain a roughly 7% stake in the project. The other Cliffs site, at the old Dunka Mine, is closer to Franconia Minerals and Duluth Metals’ proposed sulfide projects.
A news release issued by the Center for Biological Diversity noted that, “according to Cliffs Erie’s own monitoring reports, there are numerous ongoing violations of water-quality laws relating to management of the former LTV tailings basin. PolyMet’s proposal for its copper-nickel mine is to pile its own tailings waste on top of those from a former taconite mine that are still polluting.” Read the rest of this entry »
2 Comments | Law, Cliffs Natural Resources, water pollution, Minnesota, Duluth Metals, PolyMet | Tagged: Law, cliffs, water pollution, Minnesota, Duluth Metals, PolyMet | Permalink
Posted by LSMN
Polluting Pays: Cliffs’ Partner Set To Scam £1billion in “Carbon Offset Credits”
December 7, 2009ArcelorMittal, the world’s largest steel producer – Britain’s richest man, Lakshmi Mittal, owns 43% of the company – may benefit from a £1 billion European carbon emissions trading scheme (ETS).
ArcelorMittal owns a 21% stake in Cliffs Natural Resources’ Empire Mine, located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and a 62.3% share in Cliffs’ Hibbing Taconite facility. Cliffs’ has been taking some heat from Minnesota steelworkers for deals reached with ArcelorMittal that workers say are costing them their jobs. The company is expected to recall workers soon. Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted by LSMN
Expose Shows Water Pollution On the Rise; Great Lakes Enforcement Remains Lax
September 14, 2009In an excellent introduction to the New York Times’ series, “Toxic Waters,” Charles Duhigg notes that federal Clean Water Act violations have increased dramatically in recent years, with more than 506,000 violations from 2004 to 2007 with the number increasing by 16% over that short three-year period. Shockingly, only 3% of violations have resulted in fines or “significant” punishment.
3 Comments | Cliffs Natural Resources, Michigan, water | Tagged: clean water act, cliffs, Kennecott, Michigan, pollution, Rio Tinto, water | Permalink
Posted by LSMN
Cliffs Empire and Tilden Mines Likely Cause of Selenium Pollution
August 9, 2009Cliffs Natural Resources’ Empire and Tilden Mines are the likely cause of high levels of selenium pollution in Goose Lake, Goose Lake Inlet, Warner Creek, and other smaller streams surrounding tailings piles at the company’s iron ore mining complex, in Marquette County. Read the rest of this entry »
3 Comments | Cliffs Natural Resources, Michigan, water | Tagged: cliffs, Michigan, pollution, selenium, water | Permalink
Posted by LSMN
Metallic Sulfide Mining in Minnesota
April 2, 2007by Gabriel Caplett
According to the Minnesota DNR, roughly a dozen mining companies are currently exploring for nonferrous metals in Northeastern Minnesota’s Duluth Mafic Complex.[1] The Duluth Complex is the largest undeveloped nonferrous deposit in the United States and borders the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.[2]
PolyMet Mining Corp.’s NorthMet project, south of Babitt, is the largest undeveloped nonferrous mineral deposit in the US. The company owns a 100% leasehold interest in the 4,162 acre complex.[3] NorthMet is expected to commence extraction of platinum, palladium, gold, copper, nickel, cobalt, and silver in 2008.[4] Read the rest of this entry »
Leave a Comment » | Kennecott-Rio Tinto, Cliffs Natural Resources, workers, public land, Minnesota, Duluth Metals, PolyMet | Tagged: Rio Tinto, cliffs, workers, Minnesota, Duluth Metals, PolyMet | Permalink
Posted by LSMN
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