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DULUTH, Minn. (AP)

Agency approves 4th Magnetation plant

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The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's citizens board has approved a company's plans to build its fourth iron ore recovery plant on the Iron Range.

Tuesday's vote was unanimous. Grand Rapids-based Magnetation plans to build the plant near Coleraine in Itasca County.

Magnetation hopes to have the plant up and running by early 2015, eventually producing up to 2 million tons of iron ore concentrate each year. The Duluth News Tribune reports the plant is expected to employ about 160 people.

Magnetation President Matt Lehtinen says the company already has a Department of Natural Resources permit to mine at the site, and construction will start this summer on the $120 million facility.

The company already employs about 220 people at three ore recovery facilities on Minnesota's Iron Range.