US Steel idles mill due to “unprecedented ice conditions on the Great Lakes”

The ice-covered Great Lakes have choked off access to vital raw materials for the largest steel mill in the United States, says msn.com. 

The company said in a letter to customers that it has idled blast furnaces and steelmaking operations at the massive northwestern Indiana Gary Works complex ”due to unforeseen and unprecedented ice conditions on the Great Lakes,” reports nwitimes.com.

“These severe ice conditions have not occurred on the Great Lakes for more than three decades,” the letter states.

Treacherous ice covering more than 80 percent of Lake Superior has prevented freighter ships from hauling iron ore — an essential ingredient in steelmaking — from Minnesota’s Iron Range to northwestern Indiana steel mills.

Coast Guard expects to still be breaking ice in May

“Given the current conditions, the Coast Guard expects to still be breaking ice in May, when it normally would be placing buoys for recreational boaters,” said nwitimes.com.

The Gary Works complex, the largest steel mill in the United States, stretches seven miles (11.2 km) along Lake Michigan. Its blast furnaces normally work around the clock.

http://news.msn.com/us/us-steel-idles-indiana-mill-due-to-lack-of-ore

http://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/steelmaking-idled-at-gary-works/article_089e0dcf-c395-5d95-b151-457d90c23839.html

Thanks to Red Head Rabbit for these links