MESABI IRON ORE TRANSPORTATION--FEASIBILITY AND ESTIMATED COST OF PIPELINING

Although previous government research has been confined principally to the mining and processing of taconites, this study explores the possibility of decreasing another important element in the cost of iron ore delivered to the blast furnace: transportation. This study of the route and basic layout of a hypothetical Mesabi range to Chicago area iron ore slurry pipeline transportation system assumes: 1) Carrier water will be supplied via a 95-mile water pipeline from Lake Superior to a single 10 million tons per year taconite concentrating plant. 2) The concentrate will require no additional preparation before introduction to the slurry pumping system. 3) The slurry will be delivered to a single 10 million long tons per year pelletizing plant situated on the Chicago area inland waterway. 4) The pellets will be converted to steel at a new steelmaking facility or transported by barge to present or future furnaces in the Chicago area. 5) After filtering at the pipeline terminal, the carrier water quality will be at least equal to that of Lake Michigan and will be available for industrial and municipal use. No charge or credit is therefore made for water clarification and disposal.

Supplemental Notes:
- From U.S. Bureau of Mines Information Circular 8512, "Mesabi Range Iron Ore Transportation--Feasibility and Estimated Cost of Pipelining", prepared by H.J. Polta.
Publication Date: 1971-12-11

Media Info

Pagination: 5 p.
Serial:
- Skillings' Mining Review
- Volume: 60
- Issue Number: 50

Subject/Index Terms

TRT Terms: Economic analysis; Materials management; Pipelines; Plans (Drawings); Slurry; Transportation
Old TRIS Terms: Economic analysis (Pipelines); Pipeline description and plans; Slurry handling techniques; Slurry transportation
Subject Areas: Economics; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

Accession Number: 00056273
Record Type: Publication
Source Agency: Skillings' Mining Review
Files: TRIS
Created Date: Jun 24 1974 12:00AM