Low-Emissions Steelmaking: A Promising Economic Opportunity for Minnesota’s Iron Range Amid Sustainability Push.

Experts have suggested that low-emissions steelmaking could be a big business opportunity for Minnesota’s Iron Range, where the state’s taconite mining industry provides three-quarters of the raw material used to make domestic steel. The state’s steelmaking industry is under pressure from customers and governments to reduce its climate impact, and mine operators Cleveland-Cliffs and U.S. Steel are exploring new fuels and technologies to meet sustainability goals. Investing in new, more efficient vehicles and equipment is likely to include a switch to powering them with renewable electricity, biogas, or hydrogen instead of coal or gas. The transition to clean energy could create new economic opportunities for the Iron Range.