U.S. Steel Corporation 

Minnesota Ore Operations 

P.O. Box 417 

Mt. Iron, MN 55768 

CERTIFIED MAIL #7006 0 I 00 0006 4747 9957 

November 30, 2009 

Mr. Christopher J. Nelson, P.E. 

Manager, Metallic Mining Sector 

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency 

520 Lafayette road North 

Saint Paul, MN 55155-4194 

SUBJECT: RE: RE: Selective Catalytic Reduction and Low Temperature Oxidation Pilot 

Testing 

Dear Mr. Nelson: 

United States Steel Corporation, Minnesota Ore Operations- Mirmtac (Minntac) has received the 

letter dated November 6, 2009, from the Mirmesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) regarding 

additional information on Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) and Low Temperature Oxidation 

(LoTOx) pilot testing. Ji1 its November 6, 2009 letter, the MPCA requested additional 

information regarding the teclmical feasibility of SCR including but not limited to: 

• Correspondence with Hatch or the solicited pilot test vendors. 

• Any information on the optimal and feasible temperature for SCR (including dilt-side, 

clean-side and regenerative) operation. 

• Data on the potential feasibility of regenerative sqt. 

• And any information Minntac has about catalyst poisons in the gas stream. 

The November 6, 2009 letter also detailed the MPCA's position that LoTOx is technically 

feasible and is required to be pilot tested in accordance with Minntac's Air Emission Operating 

Permit# 13700005-005. The following is United States Steel Corporation (U. S. Steel) response 

to the subject letter. 

Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) Pilot Testing 

• Attached is correspondence from two SCR vendors declining to bid on NOx reduction 

testing at Minntac. One vendor has an existing SCR system on an indurating furnace in 

Europe. The other vendor identifies critical variables that pose significant challenges for 

SCR. 

• Optimal operating temperature for the SCR (clean or dirty) is in the range of 600-900°F 

to facilitate the chemical reaction. Optimal operating temperature for regenerative SCR 

is often less than 500°F; however, if the flue gas contains more than a few ppm of S03, 

then the temperature must be increased depending upon the concentration to avoid 

plugging the SCR catalyst pores. 

• SCR requires a gas stream with a particulate loading of less than 1.00 grains per dry 

standard cubic foot (grldscf). At the point in the indurating process were the ideal 
operating catalyst temperature exists, the pmticulate loading exceeds this required 

parameter. 

• U. S. Steel will be in a better position to comment on the feasibility of the RSCR 

following our attendance at Babcock Power's presentation at MPCA on December 15, 

2009. 

• During November 28 and 29 of2000, Minntac completed a stack test to quantify the 

presence of selected compounds that may poison a catalyst used as part of SCR. The 

stack test report, titled Results of the November 28-29, 2000 SCR Catalyst Poison Tests 

on the Line 7 Waste Gas Stack (SV 151) at the U S. Steel Group-Minnesota Ore 

Operations Step IIJ Agglomerator Facility located in Mt. Iron, Minnesota, was submitted 

to the MPCA, per Hongming Jiang's request, on Janumy 12, 200 I. The stack test results 

listed in the test rep01t demonstrate emission rates for arsenic, sulfuric acid mist (as sulfur 

trioxide), sulfur dioxide, particulate matter and nitrogen oxides (as nitrogen dioxide). 

In conclusion, multiple vendors that offer SCR technology were solicited by U. S. Steel for pilot 

testing proposals. However, the majority declined to bid and stated that other NOx reduction 

technologies were more viable for a grate-kiln indurating furnace. 

Low Temperature Oxidation (LoTOx) Pilot Testing 

MPCA's November 6, 2009 letter requested U. S. Steel to provide the agency with a pilot test 

schedule for LoTOx by December 1, 2009. U. S. Steel respectfully requests a meeting with the 

MPCA to discuss the following issues concerning LoTOx: 

• Timing (as it relates to pilot testing other technologies) 

• Permitting (Air and Water) associated with LoTOx environmental control equipment 

• Cross media impacts 

• Feasibility 

U.S. Steel proposes a meeting for December 16, 2009, to discuss the issues listed above. If you 

have any questions concerning U. S. Steel's response, please do not hesitate to contact Stephani 

Campbell at (218) 749-7203. 

Sincerely, 

General 

J:~Manager ol~ ~~ Minnesota Ore Operations 

United States Steel Corporation 
Alexander G 

Parou/Headquarters/USS 

04/03/2009 05:06 PM 

----- Original Message -----

From: andy.kovalchick 

Sent: 04/03/2009 04:39PM AST 

To: Alexander Parou 

To "Darren Gietzen" <DMGietzen@uss.com> 

cc 

bee 

Subject Fw: RFQ UMO 0486·1 Mlntac Low Nox Reduction System 

Cc: paul.yosick@power.alstom.com; Jolm Biddle 

Subject: RFQ UMO 0486-1 Mi.ntac Low Nox Reduction System 

Alex, 

My name Is Andy Kovalchick. I am the District Sales manager for Alstom In Pittsburgh. It's been quite a 

while ~ut you and I have met In the past when I worked for Combustion Engineering and ABB. Probably 

something to do with Clairton Works. 

This e-mail is to advise you we have no one to attend the prebid on the 7th as my counterpart, Mr. Josh 

Klopp, has prior commitments as do both Paul Yoslck and I. Paul indicated to you our rationale for no 

bidding the project and despite having an operating facility In Europe we feel our chances of success are 

very slim and the cost of proposal preparation are very high. I had talked with John Biddle about this 

project several months ago during our terms and conditions discussions. We had even declined back 

then. 

For clarity and future Inquiries please forward your Inquiries to me at this e-mail address or to the mailing 

address below. This will allow for a more timely response. 

Should you have any questions please call. My office Is In Monroeville and can meet with you at your 

convenience. 

Regards, 

Andy Kovalchlck 

District Sales Manager 

Pittsburgh District Office 

412-373-6610 office 

412-373-2485 fax 

412-491-4931 cell 

724-283-4999 home 

"--:-..,.--------c...,....,-,--- CONFIDENTIALITY: This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and may be privileged. If you 

are not a named recipient, please notify the sender Immediately and-do not disclose the contents to 

another person, use It for any purpose or store or copy the Information In any medium. 
MITSUBISHI 

POWER SYSTEMS 

MIIIA:isli Pc:ma Syslems Amel'.cos, 'roc./ 100 BoyY.ew Ci'cle, Sule IJX1J I N&hpOrt Beoch. CA 926UJ USA I Phone 949.856.81.00 I Fox949 .856.4481 

Aprll9, 2009 

U.S. Steel - Headquarters 

600 Grant Street Room 2028 

Pittsburgh, Pa. 15219 

Attention: Mr. Alex Parou 

(copy: Mr. Darren Gietzen) 

SUBJECT: Decline to Bid 

REFERENCE: RFQ- UM0-0486-1 MINNTAC LOW NOx REDUCTION SYSTEM 

Dear Sir, 

With reference to above mentioned subject and project, MPSA would like to Inform you that we will not 

be submitting our proposal to your RFQ (ref UM0-0486-1). Having attended the pre-bid meeting this 

week, we now have a better understanding of the Mlnntac's goals and targets, manufacturing process, 

and at the same time, the challenges that SCR, as a technology, would have In Its application. 

1) Temperature and layout pose significant challenges for SCR. And the same challenges are most 

likely non-Issues for other technologies. An example of this Is how best to extract 100% of the 

flue gas and treat them In the optimal SCR operating range of 600 N 750F. 

2) NOx reduction requirement of 70% Is well within the capabilities of SNCR and LoTOx. 

For these reasons, we feel that SNCR and LoTOx will likely offer better solutions for your particular 

application. If you have SCR related questions or If the project parameters change, please let us 

know and we will try our best to assist. 

We wish the best of luck to US Steel. 

Sincerely, 

FusatoDana 

Manager, Contract Administration 

Tel: 949-856-8416 

Cel: 949-275-8368 

e-mail: fdana@mpshq.com