Proposed $15bn Iowa steel mill brings domestic industry policy into focus
Mesabi Metallics says its planned plant could begin production in 2030, with projected capacity of 7.5 million tonnes a year.
US President Donald Trump has announced that Minnesota-based Mesabi Metallics intends to build a $15bn steel mill in Iowa. The company’s proposal comes as the White House highlights domestic manufacturing ahead of the US midterm elections.
The plant is expected to begin production in 2030, with an initial annual capacity of 7.5 million tonnes. The project could bring more than 1,700 jobs to the region, while a White House official told Al Jazeera that the first construction phase could generate 5,000 to 6,000 jobs. These figures are projections; the announcement does not establish that construction has begun.
The proposed mill would use iron ore from Minnesota’s Mesabi Iron Range. Mesabi Metallics, owned by India’s Essar Group, recently opened a new iron ore mine in Minnesota.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said steel tariffs helped make the mine and proposed mill possible. Trump imposed 50 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminium imports last year. Lutnick’s claim is the administration’s account of the project’s economics.
The announcement came weeks before the midterm elections, with Iowa among the states where a Senate seat could change hands. Republican Ashley Hinson, who joined the announcement, is facing Democrat Josh Turek. Polls cited by Al Jazeera showed conflicting results in the race.
