SILVER BAY, MN (KDAL) - Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. announced that it has increased dust control measures at its Northshore Mining taconite plant in Silver Bay as a result of air quality concerns raised between the fall of 2010 and spring of 2011. During that time period, air measurement devices located on Northshore Mining property indicated dust emission levels exceeded state and federal standards on five occasions. Northshore Mining has agreed to pay a 240 thousand dollar civil penalty to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and has made significant dust suppression improvements to the operation, which includes:
- Improved operating procedures and employee awareness training for dust emissions and mitigation processes.
- Water spray system improvements including: additional points of water application, enhancements to existing water application points, water cannon installations, and improved instrumentation and controls.
- Hydro mulch and seed is regularly applied to yard and road areas to enhance natural vegetation and reduce erosion and dust.
- Identification and removal of potential fugitive dust sources such as unnecessary stock piles has been added to the weekly site housekeeping tour.
- An additional camera installation to enable visual monitoring of pellet yard.
As a result of these and other efforts, air monitoring devices indicate that dust emission levels from Northshore’s taconite plant have improved and are below the required state and federal ambient air limits.
