DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-51,999

THUNDERBIRD MINING COMPANY
A SUBSIDIARY OF EVELETH MINES, LLC
EVELETH, MINNESOTA

Certification Regarding Eligibility
To Apply for Worker Adjustment Assistance

In accordance with Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19
USC 2273), as amended, the Department of Labor herein presents
the results of its investigation regarding certification of
eligibility to apply for worker adjustment assistance.
In order to make an affirmative determination and issue a
certification of eligibility to apply for Trade Adjustment
Assistance, the group eligibility requirements in either
paragraph (a)(2)(A) or (a)(2)(B) of Section 222 of the Trade Act
must be met. It is determined in this case that the
requirements of (a)(2)(A) of Section 222 have been met.
The investigation was initiated on June 10, 2003 in
response to a petition filed by a company official on behalf of
the workers at Thunderbird Mining Company, a subsidiary of
Eveleth Mines, LLC, Eveleth, Minnesota. The workers produce
iron ore/taconite pellets. The workers are not separately
identifiable by product line.
The investigation further revealed that sales and
employment at the subject firm declined from 2001 to 2002 and
also declined January through April 2003 when compared to the
same time period in 2002.
The Department of Labor surveyed the subject firm's major
customers regarding their purchases of iron ore/taconite
pellets. The surveys revealed that the customers have increased
their foreign purchases of iron ore/taconite pellets during the
relevant time period.















Conclusion
After careful review of the facts obtained in the
investigation, I conclude that increases of imports of articles
like or directly competitive with iron ore/taconite pellets
produced at Thunderbird Mining Company, a subsidiary of Eveleth
Mines, LLC, Eveleth, Minnesota contributed importantly to the
decline in sales or production and to the total or partial
separation of workers of that firm. In accordance with the
provisions of the Act, I make the following certification:
"All workers of Thunderbird Mining Company, a subsidiary of
Eveleth Mines, LLC, Eveleth, Minnesota who became totally
or partially separated from employment on or after June 5,
2002, through two years from the date of certification are
eligible to apply for adjustment assistance under Section
223 of the Trade Act of 1974."
Signed at Washington, D.C., this 30th day of June 2003.

/s/ Linda G. Poole
__________________________
LINDA G. POOLE
Certifying Officer, Division of
Trade Adjustment Assistance