New simulator will advance the future of domestic iron and steel production and strengthen American manufacturing
(COLERAINE Minn.) – Senator Grant Hauschild (DFL-Hermantown) joined with leaders from across the state Thursday in celebrating the first-of-its-kind Direct Reduced Iron simulator located at the Natural Resources Research Institute in Coleraine.
“The future of mining should be built on the Iron Range, and that means developing the best technologies to produce cleaner steel, open new markets for Minnesota iron ore, and keep America competitive,” said Senator Hauschild. “This new simulator is an investment that puts northern Minnesota at the forefront of the next generation of steelmaking.”
According to the University of Minnesota, the new simulator “allows researchers and industrial partners to replicate real-world shaft furnace conditions across a wide range of temperatures, pressures and gas mixtures. By enabling pilot-scale testing of new feedstock blends, the platform helps safeguard the long-term competitiveness of Minnesota’s iron resources and strengthens the region’s industrial economy.”
Funding for the new simulator was secured through a combination of federal and state sources, including appropriations from the legislature authored by Senator Hauschild.
“This is how we attract federal research dollars, leverage private investment, and create more good-paying mining jobs. Backed by our natural resources, world-class researchers, and a work ethic that’s second to none, there’s no better place to lead the future of mining than northern Minnesota,” added Hauschild.
More information about the work of the Natural Resources Research Institute can be found here: https://nrri.umn.edu/.
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Learn more about Sen. Hauschild.
