Cliffs Natural Resources North American Business Unit President Donald Gallagher was in Marquette this morning to update area business and community leaders on the state of the company. Gallagher said Cliffs was anticipating a better year in 2010 than 2009. (Journal photo by Johanna Boyle)

MARQUETTE — Coming off a down year in 2009 because of the worldwide recession, officials at Cliffs Natural Resources are predicting record iron ore production in North America this year, which is good news for the Empire and Tilden mines in Marquette County. “Our Michigan Operations should run at the capacity they can,” North American Business Unit President Donald Gallagher said this morning. “We will be producing everything we can produce.” Gallagher updated area business and community leaders on the state of the company at a breakfast at the Holiday Inn . “We’re taking sales volume this year up to 25 million tons, which would be a record. That does include our new equity in Wabush (Mines in Canada),” Gallagher said of Cliffs’ North American iron ore production. “We don’t have to belabor the 2009 results of significant decreases, but in 2010 we’re looking for significant increases in iron ore production and pricing and revenues.