Mesabi Chief Tailings 3 is an earth dam located in Itasca County, Minnesota, built in 1960. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 24 ft24 ft tall and 9,800 ft long. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Mesabi Chief Tailings 3
The primary purpose of Mesabi Chief Tailings 3 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 Magnetation (private). It impounds the Swan River-tr near Keewatin.
The dam stands 24 feet tall and stretches 9,800 feet across, has a maximum storage capacity of 2,304 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1960, 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 10/04/2023.
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Location
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Itasca |
| Nearest City | Keewatin |
| River/Stream | Swan River-tr |
| Coordinates | 47.38116, -93.07938 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 24 ft |
| Dam Height | 24 ft |
| Dam Length | 9,800 ft |
| Year Completed | 1960 (66 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 2,304 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 2,304 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1,152 acre-ft |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | Magnetation |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 10/04/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MN00779 |
| Federal ID | MN00779 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |