The Mesabi Daily News reports that “Range officials are urging a big turnout Friday when two key legislative committees conduct a hearing on the economy and environmental permits in Northeastern Minnesota…

Some of the major reasons why the committees are heading north from St. Paul are to learn firsthand about the economy in the region, including mining; and to see what can be done to move environmental permitting for projects ahead more expeditiously. While it was not immediately clear who might be called by the committees to testify, three veteran advocates of mining on the Range plan to be there.

Craig Pagel, president of the Iron Mining Association of Minnesota, said the region's leading economic sector ‘is back and running at near full capacity,’ and should reach that by spring.

New employees who are trained and ready to work are being hired at the six iron mines on the Range now, he said. A number of miners are retiring, opening up new positions; new projects are starting up, which will open up more jobs, he added.

Citing a 2007 University of Minnesota Duluth business study that placed the iron ore industry's impact at 34 percent, or $3.1 billion, of the region's economy, Pagel added that when new expansions and new projects are online in the near future, that amount will double. Mesabi Nugget and Magnetation, as well as Essar Steel Minnesota, will help the industry grow ‘and expand in new technology,’ he said…

Hoyt Lakes Mayor Marlene Pospeck has seen the closing of the former LTV Mining Co. near the city in 2001 and the resulting loss of 1,400 mining jobs, and the efforts to start up new projects…

Pospeck said that a ‘very vociferous minority’ has been opposed to nonferrous mining, and has ‘absolutely’ delayed projects such as PolyMet, which has been having a review done since 2004. It is prudent to do the studies for the environment, she added.

Jobs in mining, both in iron ore and the developing nonferrous projects looking at copper, nickel and precious metals (palladium and platinum, foremost) ‘are absolutely necessary’ that would be good for the state, add to the public schools fund, help local schools, bring in families and help towns to grow, Pospeck said.”