Mesabi Chief Tailings 2
Mesabi Chief Tailings 2 is an earth dam located in Itasca County, Minnesota, built in 1952. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Mesabi Chief Tailings 2
The primary purpose of Mesabi Chief Tailings 2 is tailings. Tailings dams contain waste material from mining operations — typically a slurry of finely ground rock left over after valuable minerals have been extracted. These structures require ongoing monitoring because tailings can contain heavy metals and other contaminants. The dam is owned by Us Steel (private). It impounds the Swan River-tr near Keewatin.
The dam stands 40 feet tall and stretches 9,600 feet across, has a maximum storage capacity of 7,760 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1952, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. Its condition is rated satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. The most recent inspection on record was 09/17/2017.
At 40 feet, this dam is taller than 87% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Itasca |
| Nearest City | Keewatin |
| River/Stream | Swan River-tr |
| Coordinates | 47.37166, -93.08265 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Length | 9,600 ft |
| Year Completed | 1952 (74 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 7,760 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 7,760 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 3,880 acre-ft |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | US Steel |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 09/17/2017 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MN00778 |
| Federal ID | MN00778 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |