Permit Applications Table 

Permit Type Application Date Permit Action 

Total Facility Operating Permit January 17, 1995 

April 10, 1996 (revision) 

December 15, 1997 (revision) 

001 

Administrative Amendment – test deadline extension December 8, 2000 002 

Minor Amendment – pellet loadout equipment 

replacement for fire damage in October 2000 

December 15, 2000 002 

Major Amendment - replacement pellet reclaim February 25, 2002 

March 25, 2002 

003 

Administrative Amendment – Combustion of Flint 

Hills’ coker pond fines 

April 10, 2002 

March 28, 2002 (Order of the MPCA 

Citizens’ Board) 

003 

Administrative Amendment November 26, 2003 004 

Notification of Installation of Air Pollution Controls August 27, 2004 005 

Minor Amendment – Emission and Energy Reduction 

Project 

September 30, 2004 005 

Administrative Amendment – reporting deadline 

extension 

June 22, 2005 005 

Administrative Amendment – 16T Greenball Transfer 

Project 

November 7, 2005 005 

Administrative Amendment -– test deadline extension December 5, 2005 005 

Administrative Amendment -– test deadline extension December 27, 2006 005 

Major Amendment – Add solid fuel at Line 1; increase 

production 

July 21, 2008 005 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Notice to the Permittee 

Permit Shield 

Facility Description 

Table A: Limits and Other Requirements 

Table B: Submittals 

Table C: Compliance Schedule 

Appendices: A. Not used in this permit 

B. Visible Emission Checklists 

C. Inapplicable Requirements and Insignificant Activities 

D. Assumptions Supporting Projected Actual Emissions for the Project 

to Add Solid Fuel at Line 1 and Increase Production (Permit Action 

13700113-005) 

E. Determining Sulfur Acid Mist Emissions at EU 040 and EU 042 

Using Sulfur Dioxide CEM Data 

F. Fugitive Dust Control Plan 

 
NOTICE TO THE PERMITTEE: 

Your stationary source may be subject to the requirements of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s 

(MPCA) solid waste, hazardous waste, and water quality programs. If you wish to obtain information on 

these programs, including information on obtaining any required permits, please contact the MPCA 

general information number at: 

 Metro Area 651-296-6300 

 

 Outside Metro Area 1-800-657-3864 

 TTY 651-282-5332 

The rules governing these programs are contained in Minn. R. chs. 7000-7105. Written questions may be 

sent to: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, 520 Lafayette Road North, St. Paul, Minnesota 55155-4194. 

Questions about this air emission permit or about air quality requirements can also be directed to the 

telephone numbers and address listed above. 

PERMIT SHIELD: 

Subject to the limitations in Minn. R. 7007.1800, compliance with the conditions of this permit shall be 

deemed compliance with the specific provision of the applicable requirement identified in the permit as 

the basis of each condition. Subject to the limitations of Minn. R. 7007.1800 and 7017.0100, subp. 2, 

notwithstanding the conditions of this permit specifying compliance practices for applicable requirements, 

any person (including the Permittee) may also use other credible evidence to establish compliance or 

noncompliance with applicable requirements. 

FACILITY DESCRIPTION: 

Crushed ore is unloaded in a covered building. The ore is then transferred by a covered conveyor to the 

fines crusher building where it is immediately crushed at the third stage crusher or sent to the coarse ore 

surge pile. The coarse ore surge pile is used to store ore between train shipments or during times when the 

crusher is down. 

Ore is returned from the coarse ore surge pile and fed into one of the five third-stage crushers. Particulate 

emissions from the third-stage crushers are controlled by wet scrubbers. The oversize material is 

conveyed to one of eight fourth-stage crushers. Each fourth-stage crusher has a dedicated wet scrubber to 

control particulate emissions. Undersize material is transferred to the fine ore surge building. Oversize 

material is recirculated to the fourth stage crushers. 

Five concentrator lines receive ore from the fine ore surge building. Particulate emissions from the 

transfer of fine ore to the concentrator lines are controlled using wet scrubbers. Here ore is ground and 

magnetic separators remove the magnetite ore from the tailings. Low-magnetic coarse tailings are 

transported by truck for use as construction material for the tailing basin sidewalls. Fine tailings are 

pumped in slurry form to the tailings basin. Processes performed in the concentrator are wet operations. 

Concentrate is piped as a slurry to the pelletizing plant. The slurry is dewatered with filters and additives 

are introduced. Green pellets are produced in balling drums and conveyed to one of two travelling grate 

kilns. Grate feed, grate discharge, kiln induration, and kiln cooler emissions are controlled with wet 

scrubbers. 
Fired pellets are conveyed to pellet storage silos. Pellets are then loaded into rail cars and transported 

from the facility. Particulate emissions from the pellets are controlled with wet scrubbers and dust 

suppressants. Intermediate products and byproducts, including but not limited to rocks, tailings, and 

concentrate, are also sold by the Permittee. 

Supporting activities in the Fairlane Plant include maintenance shops and offices. 

PERMIT AND AMENDMENT HISTORY 

Permit and Amendment History 

Permit Type Application 

Date 

Issuance Date Permit Action 

Number 

Total Facility Operating Permit 1/17/1995 

4/10/1996 

12/15/1997 

2/23/2000 001 

Minor Amendment 12/8/2000 

12/15/2000 

3/9/2001 002 

Major Amendment 2/25/2002; 

3/28/2002; 

4/10/2002 

6/6/2002 003 

Administrative Amendment 12/12/2003 

11/26/2003 

1/7/2004 004 

Major Amendment 8/27/2004 

9/30/2004; 

6/22/2005 

11/7/2005 

12/5/2005 

12/27/2006 

7/21/2008 

 005 

Permit Action 005

Permit Action 13700113-005 is a major amendment that incorporates administrative amendments, a 

notification of installation of control equipment, and a minor amendment. 

As shown in the following table, the permit action responds to an application for a minor amendment; a 

notification of installation of air pollution control equipment; and three applications for administrative 

amendments from the facility.