Lake County News-Chronicle - January 24, 2003

Northshore Mining Company earns environmental award
Northshore Mining Company has been recognized by the Aggregate and Ready-Mix Association of Minnesota and the American Concrete Institute as the recipient of the 2002 Environmental Excellence Award. The award notes Northshore Mining Company’s Coal Ash Management Program, an initiative that turns flyash, a by-product of the coal burning process at the Northshore power plant that is normally land filled, into a concrete enhancer. The award was presented to Northshore Mining Company at the annual meeting of the two organizations held recently in Bloomington.

Bob Berglund, Northshore’s general manager said, “We are pleased to have been recognized by these organizations for our coal ash initiative. It is a significant undertaking with major environmental implications, and we appreciate what has been accomplished in cooperation with Enduracon Technologies. Annually up to 18,000 tons of flyash from the power plant is purchased by Enduracon Technologies Inc. of St. Paul and shipped to ready-mix companies in Minnesota and the upper Midwest,” Berglund added.

According to Larry Nelson, president of Enduracon, flyash reduces water usage in concrete, which results in less shrinkage and a higher quality concrete. Last year the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn DOT) certified Northshore Mining Company’s flyash product for state construction and highway projects.
The aggregate and Ready-Mix Association represents 54 producer-member companies in the state aggregate and ready-mix industries. The association strives to make concrete the construction material of choice through promotion, education, environmental and government issues.

Northshore Mining is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.