TORONTO (miningweekly.com) – Cleveland-based Cliffs Natural Resources will increase production at its United Taconite subsidiary, which produces iron-ore pellets from a mine and plant in Minnesota, the firm said on Wednesday.

United Taconite has been operating on a 32-hour work week since November 2008, when one of its two operating furnaces was idled due to weak demand from steelmakers for iron-ore.

The operation will now ramp up to a 40-hour week, over September and October, the company said.

After the September 7 Labour day holiday, mining operations will increase at the Thunderbird mine, and production will subsequently increase in October at the concentrator portion of the facility.

Full start-up of the Line 1 furnace, which has been idled since the end of October 2008, is expected in early November.

"Cliffs Natural Resources is pleased United Taconite management and the union have been able to work cooperatively to keep everyone employed during these difficult economic times and avoid layoffs," Cliffs North America president Donald Gallagher said in a statement.

United Taconite previously operated as EVTAC Mining Company and was idled in 2003 when EVTAC filed for bankruptcy. Cliffs Natural Resources and Laiwu Steel Group bought the mine assets and reopened the facility as United Taconite in December of 2003.

Cliffs bought Laiwu's interest in July last year and the operation produced 5,1-million tons of iron ore in 2008, according to the company's website.

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