Empire Mine Likely to Shut Down

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    Great Lakes Radio News UpdateMARQUETTE, MI – (Great Lakes Radio News)The long-term future of the Empire Mine in Marquette County is not looking positive.
    Speaking in Marquette this morning, Cliff’s Natural Resources Chair, President and CEO Joseph Carrabba said work at the facility in Palmer will begin to decrease over the next year or two and will likely be shut down completely by the end of next year or in the beginning of 2015.
    Carrabba says the economic viability of the mine is gradually diminishing and it’s permanent closure in the near future is a reality. Cliffs’ announced layoffs in November of several hundred workers at its Empire and Tilden mines that will go into effect next month.
    The company also said it would temporarily shut down the Empire in the second quarter of this year in response to unstable and declining iron ore prices and usage rates.
    The Empire has produced over 260 million tons of iron ore pellets since 1963 and employs about 830 workers.
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