Mesabi Trust: Form 10-K for the period ended Jan 31, 2024

(a) General Development of Business.

The information under the headings “Trustees’ Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” “The Trust Estate,” “Leasehold Royalties,” and “Land Trust and Fee Royalties” in the Annual Report of the Trustees of Mesabi Trust for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2024, filed as Exhibit 13 to this Form 10-K (the “Annual Report”) is incorporated herein by reference.

(b) Financial Information About Segments.

Substantially all of the revenue, operating profits and assets of Mesabi Trust (“Mesabi Trust” or the “Trust”) relate to one business segment—iron ore mining.

(c) Narrative Description of Business.

The information under the headings “Overview,” “Trustees’ Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” “The Trust Estate,” and “Leasehold Royalties” in the Annual Report is incorporated herein by reference.

(d) Financial Information About Geographical Areas.

All of the Trust’s revenues are derived from the assets of the Trust, information of which is set forth under the heading “The Trust Estate” of the Annual Report. The information under the heading “Selected Financial Data” in the Annual Report is incorporated herein by reference.

(e) Availability of Reports on Registrant’s Website.

The information on the cover page of the Annual Report is incorporated herein by reference.

Mesabi Trust does not have any directors, officers or employees. The Corporate Trustee is responsible for oversight of Mesabi Trust's risks from cybersecurity threats as it relates to financial record keeping, cash and investment management, administration and reporting. The Corporate Trustee also serves as registrar and transfer agent for the Trust. The Corporate Trustee has dedicated personnel responsible for assessing and managing Mesabi Trust’s cyber risk management efforts, informing senior management of the Corporate Trustee regarding the prevention, detection, mitigation and remediation of cybersecurity incidents and supervising such efforts. The Corporate Trustee’s information technology team has significant experience selecting, deploying and operating cybersecurity technologies, initiatives and processes and relies on threat intelligence as well as other information obtained from governmental, public or private sources, including external consultants engaged by the Corporate Trustee to monitor the prevention, detection, mitigation, and remediation of cybersecurity incidents. The Corporate Trustee works with leading firms in the cybersecurity industry, leveraging their technology and expertise to monitor and maintain the performance and effectiveness of products and services that are used by the Corporate Trustee. The Corporate Trustee maintains a cyber risk management program designed to identify, assess, manage, mitigate, and respond to cybersecurity threats, which processes are integrated into the Corporate Trustee’s overall risk management process. The Corporate Trustee maintains robust cybersecurity protocols including, but not limited to technological capabilities that prevent and detect disruptions, computer workstations and programs protected with passwords and passphrases, as well as employee training throughout the year on financial regulations and cybersecurity followed up by testing of that knowledge. The protocols are based on recognized best practices and standards for cybersecurity and information technology. The Corporate Trustee has an annual assessment, performed by a third-party vendor, of the Corporate Trustee’s cyber risk management program. Other non-technical protocols include securing of documents and work areas that could contain non-public information and independent verification of information changes by outside vendors. Mesabi Trust faces risks from cybersecurity threats that could have a material adverse effect on its financial condition, results of operations, cash flows or reputation. The Corporate Trustee has experienced, and will continue to experience, cyber incidents in the normal course of its business. However, prior cybersecurity incidents have not had a material adverse effect on Mesabi Trust’s financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows. See “Risk Factors – General Risk Factors – The Trust faces risks from cybersecurity threats that could have a material adverse effect on its financial condition, financial record keeping, investment management, reporting, results of operations, cash flows or reputation.”

The information under the heading “The Trust Estate,” “Duration of the Trust Estate,” “History of the Trust’s Acquisition of the Trust Estate,” and “Description of the Mineral Properties and Northshore’s Mining Operations,” in the Annual Report is incorporated herein by reference.

Commencement of Arbitration in October 2022

As previously announced, on October 14, 2022, Mesabi Trust initiated arbitration against Northshore Mining Company (“Northshore”) and its parent company Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (“Cliffs”), (jointly, the “Operator”), the lessee/operator of the leased lands. The arbitration proceeding was commenced with the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”). The Trust seeks an award of damages relating to the Operator’s underpayment of royalties in 2020, 2021 and 2022 by virtue of the Operator’s failure to use the highest price arm’s length iron ore pellet sale from the preceding four quarters in pricing internal production during the fourth quarter of 2020 through 2022. The Trust also seeks declaratory relief related to the Trust’s entitlement to certain documentation and to the time the Operator’s royalty obligation accrues. During 2023, the parties appointed a three-member arbitration panel and engaged in discovery. The AAA evidentiary hearing took place in March 2024. Post-hearing briefs will be exchanged in May 2024, and post-hearing oral arguments, if any, will take place in June 2024.

The information under the headings “Trustees’ Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” “Leasehold Royalties,” “Trust Expenses,” and “Unallocated Reserve” in the Annual Report is incorporated herein by reference.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures. The Trust maintains a system of disclosure controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Trust in the reports that it furnishes or files under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Due to the pass-through nature of the Trust, the Trust’s disclosure controls and procedures include controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by Mesabi Trust is received from Cliffs and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Northshore. In order to help ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information required to be disclosed in the Trust’s periodic and current reports, the Trust engages certified public accountants, geological consultants, engineering firms, and attorneys. These professionals hired by the Trust advise the Trust in its review and compilation of the information in this Form 10-K and the other periodic reports filed by the Trust with the SEC.

As part of their evaluation of Mesabi Trust’s disclosure controls and procedures, the Trustees rely on quarterly shipment and royalty calculations provided by Northshore and Cliffs. Because Northshore has declined to provide a written certification attesting to whether Northshore has established disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls sufficient to enable it to verify that the information furnished to the Trustees is accurate and complete, the Trustees also rely on (a) an annual certification from Northshore and Cliffs, certifying as to the accuracy of the royalty calculations, and (b) the related due diligence review performed by the Trust’s accountants. In addition, Mesabi Trust’s consultants review the schedule of leasehold royalties payable, and shipping and sales reports provided by Northshore against production and shipment reports prepared by Eveleth Fee Office, Inc., an independent consultant to Mesabi Trust (“Eveleth Fee Office”). Eveleth Fee Office performs inspections of the Northshore mine and its pelletizing operations, observes production and shipping activities, gathers production and shipping information from Northshore and prepares monthly production and shipment reports for the Trustees. Furthermore, as part of its engagement by Mesabi Trust, Eveleth Fee Office also attends Northshore’s calibration and testing of its crude ore scales and boat loader scales which are conducted on a periodic basis.

As of the end of the period covered by this report, the Trustees carried out an evaluation of Mesabi Trust’s disclosure controls and procedures. Based on this evaluation, the Trustees have concluded that such disclosure controls and procedures are effective.

Trustees’ Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. The Trustees’ Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting is set forth on page F-2 of the Annual Report. This Annual Report on Form 10-K does not include, and is not required to include, an attestation report of our independent registered public accounting firm on internal control over financial reporting based on an exemption from such rules related to the Trust’s status as a smaller reporting company and non-accelerated filer.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting. To the knowledge of the Trustees there were no changes in the Trust’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the Trust’s last fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is likely to materially affect, the Trust’s internal control over financial reporting. The Trustees note for purposes of clarification that they have no authority over, and make no statement concerning, the internal controls of Northshore or Cliffs.