The Minnesota Supreme Court has upheld the state's decision to terminate mineral leases for Mesabi Metallics' long-delayed iron ore project near Nashwauk.
That paves the way for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to reassign Mesabi Metallics' state leases. The Iron Range's biggest mining companies — Cleveland- Cliffs and U.S. Steel — have shown keen interest in them, particularly the former.
"We are anticipating there will be potentially multiple parties interested in these state leases," Barb Naramore, the DNR's deputy commissioner, said Wednesday.
