New Soo Locks project good news for Minnesota Iron
New Soo Locks project good news for Minnesota Iron
The Iron Mining Association of Minnesota (IMA) is among many celebrating the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ announcement that design and work on a new $1 billion Soo Lock will start next year.
“The Soo Locks play an integral role in turning Minnesota iron into American steel,” said IMA President Kelsey Johnson.
Currently only one of the locks, the 49-year-old Poe lock, is large enough to handle the ships that carry Minnesota iron ore to American steelmaking facilities where taconite pellets are made into steel to make the things American use every day. Minnesota iron accounts for 60 percent of cargo leaving the Twin Ports for the lower lakes.
“This initiative ensures that the Soo Locks system can remain a critical transportation mechanism for our industries and others into the next century,” Johnson said.