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163 - <br /> TAILING DISPOSAL SYSTEM <br /> FOR RESERVE MINING COMPANY <br /> Expenditureson the Mile Post 7 tailing disposal project of largest environmental action in lhehistoryoftheU.S.courts), <br /> Reserve Mining Company had topped$100,000,000 by several critical items were given exhaustive study by state <br /> the end of 1978.Reserve is spending$73,000,000 to remove agencies,the federal government, Reserve and its consul <br /> dust from the air at its Silver Bay pellet plant on the north tants.These items related to potential effects onair and water <br /> shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota, United States.The of the mineral cleavage fragments or fibers contained in the <br /> on-land tailing disposal program coupled with improvements tailings,as well as all aspects of dam safety.The on-land <br /> in the concentration plant to raise pel let grade are estimated to tailings facilities ultimately designed for this project had to <br /> cost$255,900,000. satisfy both state and federal agency requirements concern- <br /> Reserve,jointly and equally owned by Armco and Repub- ing air and water quality and dam safety.Consequently,these <br /> lic Steel corporations,operates a large taconite open pit mine designs are somewhat unique and differ from conventional <br /> at Babbitt,Minnesota on the Mesabi Iron Range.The crushed tailings dam designs.Moreover,because of the great concern <br /> taconite is shipped by rail to Silver Bay,where it is concen- for dam safety,as expressed throughout the court proceed- <br /> trated and pelletized into iron ore pellets.The tailings,along ings by both the government agencies and the courts,the <br /> with 415,000gallons per minute ofwater,are discharged from dams have been very conservatively designed. <br /> launders to Lake Superior.At full production 88,500long tons <br /> per day of crude taconite ore is processed at the Silver Bay Permit Conditions <br /> plant.Of this,about 29,500 tons become iron ore pellets,and The Minnesota courts have ordered that the permits in- <br /> 59,000 tons become tailings. clude the following conditions: <br /> Controversy over Reserve's practice of discharging "A The permit shall be limited to a specific five-year term. <br /> tail- <br /> ings to Lake Superior had its beginnings in 1%9.This con- "B Armco and Republic shall be copermittees with Re- <br /> troversy extended through numerous court actions.On June serve Mining Company. <br /> 1, 1977,Reserve began construction of its on-land tailings "C The perminces shall assume all risks and liabilities <br /> disposal facility at Mile Post 7 after the issuance of permits arising from the implementation of the Mile Post 7 on- <br /> allowing Reserve to proceed with construction of its on-land land disposal site and system. <br /> tailings disposal facilities. "D The permittees shall be required to perpetually main- _ <br /> Throughout the extensive litigation(claimed to be the tain the tailings basin site to insure the integrity of <br /> Aa- <br /> _ <br /> I I'' <br /> 4. <br /> MAJOR construction underway at Silver Bay as part of the Mile Post 7 tailings disposal ! ' <br /> pro)ect.Steelwork in foreground is for the new filter building. " <br /> Reprinted with permission of WORLD MINING,December 1978 <br /> I <br /> R <br />