PALMER, MI-- The Empire mine is back up and running.
Cliffs Natural Resources announced Wednesday that iron ore pellet production has resumed after a December 2 fire severely damaged a limestone feeding system.
The system included mining equipment and conveyors that feed crushed limestone into the empire concentrator plant. The limestone is added during the pellet-making process. Because of the severity of the fire the limestone is now being taken into the plant with front end loaders.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by Cliffs, the Mine Safety and Health Administration and the United Steelworkers.
