BABBITT — The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is considering fugitive dust as part of an updated draft air permit for Babbitt’s taconite mine, the agency said in a Friday, Nov. 22, news release.
Northshore Mining applied for a reissued air permit for the Pet Mitchell Mine in 2009. MPCA's permit draft is available for public comment.
Fugitive dust refers to particles not emitted from a stack, chimney or vent that become airborne by wind or human activities like blasting and hauling.
Northshore sends the taconite ore mined in Babbitt to a processing plant in Silver Bay by rail. The plant is a separate facility with its own air permit.
Key updates to Northshore Mining’s air permit include additional blasting and contractor activities, restrictions to burn only propane and natural gas in the shop boilers and compliance monitoring requirements for the ore crusher’s emissions
The 30-day comment period on the draft air permit ends on Dec. 16, with comments considered before a final draft permit.
