BURNS HARBOR, Ind. — Cleveland-Cliffs has delayed a major investment in coal-based ironmaking at its Burns Harbor steel mill for the third time. The company has pushed the reline of Blast Furnace C, first planned for 2025, to April 2028. A reline costs hundreds of millions of dollars and would keep the coal-burning furnace running for nearly two more decades, even as competitors invest in cleaner, modern ironmaking.

That shift is already underway. Three U.S. facilities in Ohio, Louisiana, and Texas make iron with coal-free direct reduced iron (DRI) technology. Mesabi Metallics recently announced a $15 billion DRI-based mill in Iowa, expected to be the country's largest iron and steel mill and to create more than 1,700 permanent jobs. In Louisiana, Hyundai Steel broke ground in September on a $5.8 billion mill that will pair DRI with electric arc furnaces to make automotive steel, creating about 1,300 jobs. With U.S. steel production roughly flat over the past decade, older coal-based furnaces have closed as cleaner ones come online.

In response to the delay, Hilary Lewis, Steel Director at Industrious Labs, said:

“Cleveland-Cliffs proved in Toledo that it can make iron without coal. Every year it delays this reline is another chance to change course and bring that same technology to Burns Harbor. The stakes couldn’t be higher. Indiana’s future as a leader in iron and steelmaking depends on a quick and fair transition to cleaner steelmaking technologies."

Coal-based ironmaking also takes a heavy toll on nearby communities. A July 2026 study linked pollution from Burns Harbor to about 124 premature deaths and $1.7 billion in health costs each year, more than any other industrial facility in the region. BF C accounts for roughly half of the mill’s production.

Relining the furnace would also lock in years of carbon pollution. Based on its share of production, BF C released about 3.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2022. A reline typically extends a blast furnace’s life by about 18 years. Over that time, BF C could release more than 63 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, the same as running nearly 17 coal-fired power plants for a year.

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About Industrious Labs: Industrious Labs is dedicated to transforming heavy industry to drive solutions that cut pollution, create good jobs, and build healthier, more equitable communities. Learn more at www.industriouslabs.org.