MARQUETTE COUNTY -- Fewer workers will be laid off this summer at the Cliffs Empire Mine than previously thought.

According to a Cliffs Natural Resources official, the Empire shutdown will happen on June 1.  Instead of the 600 employees scheduled to be temporarily laid off, there will be just 300.

That's because development work will be done in the pit.  A large maintenance project is being done this summer, necessitating the layoffs.

Workers will be off the job for about four months.

Back in January Cliffs announced a $60 million investment in the Empire for this year, which should keep the mine open through 2015.