ATLANTIC CITY, Wyo. (AP) - The Wyoming Business Council is investigating the feasibility of reopening an Atlantic City iron mine that has been closed for more than 30 years, a prospect that could take at least 10 years and cost more than half a billion dollars.
The mine near South Pass in the southern Wind River Mountains opened in 1963. The mine produced ore that was shipped to U.S. Steel’s Geneva Works, a plant near Salt Lake City that produced sheet metal. The mine closed in 1983.
Extensive reclamation work has occurred at the site, including removing a rail line from the mountains and rerouting U.S. Highway 28 through the old mine site. Food and agribusiness giant J.R. Simplot Co. now owns the site, the Riverton Ranger reports (https://bit.ly/11FLDFQ).
Puma Steel President Rex Lewis is interested in reviving Wyoming’s steel industry, according to Wyoming Business Council Industry Division Director Ben Avery. Lewis is co-chairman of the Business Council board of directors.
New technology could make mining the iron ore more feasible, Avery said, but reopening the mine could cost anywhere from $500 million to $750 million and take 10-20 years.
“It doesn’t happen overnight,” Avery said.
The mine holds an estimated 150-200 million tons of iron ore reserves. Tailings at the mine also could be reprocessed, according to the Business Council.
The rail line probably wouldn’t be rebuilt, Avery said, but the mine could employ up to 400 people. Its previous peak employment was around 700.
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Information from: The (Riverton, Wyo.) Ranger, https://www.dailyranger.com
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