A new year, and new opportunities for the Iron Range

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As I begin my term as mayor of Nashwauk, Aaron Brown’s Dec. 15 column “Reforming broken rural economies in greater Minnesota” filled me with optimism for the future of our community and the entire Iron Range. As Brown affirmed, the year ahead is pivotal for our region. We stand on the brink of some transformative opportunities — projects that will shape the economic and environmental future of the Iron Range if we can come together and bring them to fruition.

I am proud that Brown identified Mesabi Metallics in Nashwauk as one such project.

Mesabi Metallics, when fully operational, will produce high-quality, direct-reduction-grade iron ore pellets that are essential for the production of green steel, a 21st-century process that significantly decarbonizes the production of steel — a real and urgent need for our planet. This project represents an incredible win for Minnesota: It offers a vital resource to both domestic and global markets while utilizing cutting-edge technology to minimize environmental impact. But the potential benefits extend beyond the production of iron ore. Mesabi already has 400 well-paid union construction workers on site on an average day. When operational, Mesabi Metallics will generate hundreds of well-paying jobs, produce millions in tax revenues for our state and our schools (about $30 million annually), invigorate local businesses, and provide training and educational opportunities for our residents.

However, none of this potential will be realized without strong bipartisan support from our state leaders. I am calling on the Minnesota Legislature and our state agencies to prioritize Mesabi’s project, ensuring the timely permitting and regulatory approvals to move the project forward, while holding Mesabi to the highest standard of environmental protections, which I know it will meet. Mesabi is on track to be commercially operational in the first quarter of 2026 as Minnesota’s first new mine in 50 years, and I look forward to working with state leaders to ensure this vision is brought to reality on time. The stakes are high, and we cannot afford delays in this moment.

The Iron Range is nothing if not resilient. For over a century, we have been the backbone of Minnesota’s mining industry, fueling the state’s economy and driving innovation. As we face the challenges of a new era, we must adapt — leveraging our natural resources, skilled workforce and history of innovation to become leaders in the green-steel revolution that will power our world for generations to come. Mesabi Metallics will be the cornerstone of that transformation in Minnesota.

Let’s seize this moment and ensure that the Iron Range remains the beating heart of our country’s iron-ore industry while positioning Minnesota as a leader in a new, cleaner, more sustainable global economy.

Greg Heyblom is the mayor-elect of Nashwauk, Minn., the site of Mesabi Metallics.