Cliffs Layoffs May Be Likely in Minnesota

Layoffs may be in store in Minnesota for the newly-merged Cliffs Natural Resources.

The company has shut down 3 small furnaces that it uses to make iron ore pellets.

One of the furnaces is at United Taconite.

Cliffs bought that company 3 months ago, saying it wanted to invest more than $100 million in United Taconite.

Cliffs officials say the shutdowns are intended to bring production more into line with demand, which they say is down with the slow economy across North America.

The shutdown will also mean what the company is calling ‘workforce adjustments’.

Cliffs didn’t say anything about the Empire and Tilden Mines in Marquette County.