Minorca Pit South
Minorca Pit South is an earth dam located in St. Louis County, Minnesota, built in 2008. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Minorca Pit South
The primary purpose of Minorca Pit South 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 Arcelormittal (private). It impounds the Silver Lake Outlet near Virginia.
The dam stands 30 feet tall and stretches 600 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 182 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 5,275 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 2008, the structure is relatively new.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in 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 09/29/2021.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Minnesota |
| County | St. Louis |
| Nearest City | Virginia |
| River/Stream | Silver Lake Outlet |
| Coordinates | 47.53752, -92.51718 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Length | 600 ft |
| Year Completed | 2008 (18 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 5,275 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 5,275 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 2,110 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 182 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | ArcelorMittal |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 09/29/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MN01543 |
| Federal ID | MN01543 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |