RE:WHO ARE COMPANIES A B C I could reply : Do your DD as the following have already been identified on at least one ocassion how ever here they are again:
Quebec: Arcellor Mittal produce about 11,000,000 tonnes a year from one production grate/kiln machine with a name plate prod of 6,000,000. Yes you read that right, they have almost doubled production over the years. That is a result of a very dedicated gang of young engineers/technicians who are encouraged by management. They are presently looking at changing combustion from bunker to gas. Making pellets since early 70s. Located at Port Cartier, Que. They also produce concentrate for a total production of just over that of IOC for the moment. Arcellor Mittal also makes steel in Europe.
Labrador: IOC (Iron ore Co of Canada ) The 6 individual grate systems ( no kilns ) produce a total of about 7,000,000 tonnes a year of pellets. Their speciality is pellets produced to the customers specification, a speciality producer rather than a mass producer. They can and do vary the pellet production to suite market conditions. At the moment 2 grate lines are shut down. The company also produces concentrate. The total annual production is about almost 20,000,000.tonnes. They have been in making pellets since the early 60s. They are in the Speciality Metals part of Rio Tinto. IOC investigated plasma in the late 70s but nothing came of it.
Cleveland Cliffs: Northern Michigan and the Minnesota Iron Range. They also make steel. If you want more info please do your own research and report back here. There are several pellet producers active in the same area. ( Tilden is one I believe). Pellets were developed in the area in the 50s and 60s when the mines started to run out of high quality, in ground ore, known as direct shipping ore (No processing, dig it up and sell it).
The Canadian companies are just minows in the iron ore business now but they were world leaders in the 70s. They survive because their products are of very high quality and reduce pollution and coke consumption as well as raise the productivity of blast furnaces when they are in the feed along with Aussie or Chinese cr. . . ap.