IOC - Carol Lake mine

 open-pit mine, iron mine

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This huge open pit mine is Canada's largest iron ore mine, currently producing 17 million tonnes of iron ore concentrates per year. The majority of concentrate (13 million tonnes) is pelletized, while the rest is sold directly. The pelletizing process involves further grinding, mixing with various additives, filtering to remove water, and then formation of small green balls which are subsequently fired in induration furnaces to produce pellets.

An expansion of the mine and processing plant is underway, and will raise production to 23 million tonnes by end of 2012 and, ultimately, to 26 million tonnes.

The Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) is Canada's largest iron ore producer and a leading global supplier of iron ore pellets and concentrates. IOC is a key employer in the communities in which it operates, employing almost 1900 people in the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec. Owned by Rio Tinto (58.7%), Mitsubishi Corporation (26.2%), and the Labrador Iron Ore Royalty Income Fund (15.1%), IOC operates within the Rio Tinto Iron Ore group and maintains its head office in Montreal, Quebec.

www.ironore.ca/