10 years or 20: How long can the Iron Range go without a return on investment?

Some recent developments indicate that Essar Steel, the Indian company backing an Iron Range taconite-to-steel plant, is either playing a very short game or a very long game in their endeavor. The company is battling with Itasca County over the duration of access to ore stockpiles depending on the timeline of construction. They'd prefer 20 years of access, instead of 10. If this thing isn't built in 10 years there won't be much left of the West Range economy and workforce to speak of.