10-Q

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)

x    Quarterly Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 -
For the Period Ended March 31, 2008

Or

o    Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 -
For the Transition Period From ______________ to ______________

Commission file number 1-701

GREAT NORTHERN IRON ORE PROPERTIES

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Minnesota	41-0788355
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)
W-1290 First National Bank Building 332 Minnesota Street Saint Paul, Minnesota	55101-1361
(Address of principal executive office)	(Zip Code)

(651) 224-2385

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable

(Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter periods that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x    No o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer or a non-accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).

Large accelerated filer o Accelerated filer x Non-accelerated filer o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes o    No x

Number of shares of beneficial interest outstanding on March 31, 2008:   1,500,000

PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1. Financial Statements

GREAT NORTHERN IRON ORE PROPERTIES

CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS

	March 31 2008		December 31 2007
ASSETS	(Unaudited)		(Note)
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$	780,531	$	979,175
United States Treasury securities		4,550,317		4,997,278
Royalties receivable		2,053,341		2,924,517
Prepaid expenses		48,212		4,519
TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS		7,432,401		8,905,489
NONCURRENT ASSETS
United States Treasury securities		3,781,422		4,755,295
PROPERTIES
Mineral and surface lands		38,691,707		38,691,707
Less: Allowances for depletion and amortization		-34,995,310		-34,940,185
		3,696,397		3,751,522
Building and equipment		313,891		313,891
Less: Allowances for accumulated depreciation		-207,502		-200,321
		106,389		113,570
TOTAL PROPERTIES		3,802,786		3,865,092
TOTAL ASSETS	$	15,016,609	$	17,525,876
LIABILITIES AND BENEFICIARIES’ EQUITY
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	$	119,697	$	95,356
Distributions		3,000,000		4,350,000
TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES		3,119,697		4,445,356
NONCURRENT LIABILITIES
Deferred compensation		102,400		102,400
Liability for pension benefits		1,026,446		979,064
TOTAL NONCURRENT LIABILITIES		1,128,846		1,081,464
TOTAL LIABILITIES		4,248,543		5,526,820
BENEFICIARIES’ EQUITY, including certificate holders’ equity, represented by 1,500,000 certificates (shares or units) of beneficial interest authorized and outstanding, and the reversionary interest		12,317,377		13,580,035
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		-1,549,311		-1,580,979
TOTAL BENEFICIARIES’ EQUITY		10,768,066		11,999,056
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND BENEFICIARIES’ EQUITY	$	15,016,609	$	17,525,876

Note: The balance sheet at December 31, 2007, has been derived from the audited financial statements at that date but does not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements.

See notes to condensed financial statements.

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GREAT NORTHERN IRON ORE PROPERTIES

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

(Unaudited)

	Three Months Ended March 31
	2008			2007
Revenues:
Royalties	$	2,274,898		$	3,179,851
Interest and other income		144,899			172,283
		2,419,797			3,352,134
Costs and expenses		682,455			708,593
NET INCOME	$	1,737,342		$	2,643,541
Weighted-average shares outstanding		1,500,000			1,500,000
BASIC AND DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE	$	1.16		$	1.76
Distributions declared per share	$	2.00	(1)	$	2.00	(2)

(1)	$2.00	declared	3/10/2008
		payable	4/30/2008
(2)	$2.00	declared	3/9/2007
		paid	4/30/2007

See notes to condensed financial statements.

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GREAT NORTHERN IRON ORE PROPERTIES

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Unaudited)

	Three Months Ended March 31
	2008		2007
Cash flows from operating activities:
Cash received from royalties and rents	$	3,185,070	$	4,727,774
Cash paid to suppliers and employees		-560,451		-567,755
Interest received		76,737		126,162
NET CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES		2,701,356		4,286,181
Cash flows from investing activities:
United States Treasury securities purchased		-400,000		-925,000
United States Treasury securities matured		1,850,000		1,100,000
NET CASH PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES		1,450,000		175,000
Cash flows from financing activities:
Distributions paid		-4,350,000		-4,950,000
NET CASH USED IN FINANCING ACTIVITIES		-4,350,000		-4,950,000
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents		-198,644		-488,819
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year		979,175		1,131,504
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT MARCH 31	$	780,531	$	642,685

See notes to condensed financial statements.

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GREAT NORTHERN IRON ORE PROPERTIES

NOTES TO CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Unaudited)

Periods of Three Months ended March 31, 2008 and March 31, 2007

Note A - BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the periods stated above are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for each respective full year. For further information, refer to the financial statements and footnotes included in the Great Northern Iron Ore Properties (“Trust”) Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007.

Note B - BENEFICIARIES’ EQUITY

Pursuant to the Court Order of November 29, 1982, the Trustees were directed to create and maintain an account designated as “Principal Charges.” This account constitutes a first and prior lien of certificate holders on any property transferable to the reversioner and reflects an allocation of beneficiaries’ equity between the certificate holders and the reversioner. This account is neither an asset nor a liability of the Trust. Rather, this account maintains and represents a balance which will be payable to the certificate holders of record from the reversioner at the end of the Trust. The balance in this account consists of attorneys’ fees and expenses of counsel for adverse parties pursuant to the Court Order in connection with litigation commenced in 1972 relating to the Trustees’ powers and duties under the Trust Agreement and the costs of homes and surface lands acquired in accordance with provisions of a lease with United States Steel Corporation, net of an allowance to amortize the cost of the land based on actual shipments of taconite and net of a credit for disposition of tangible assets. Following is an analysis of this account as of March 31, 2008:

Attorneys’ fees and expenses	$	1,024,834
Cost of surface lands		5,817,965
Cumulative shipment credits		-1,700,824
Cumulative asset disposition credits		-119,241
Principal Charges account balance	$	5,022,734

Upon termination of the Trust, the Trustees shall either sell tangible assets or obtain a loan with tangible assets as security to provide monies for distribution to the certificate holders in the amount of the Principal Charges account balance.

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Note C – PENSION PLAN

A summary of the components of net periodic pension cost for the three months ended March 31 is as follows:

	2008		2007
Service cost	$	56,605	$	60,345
Interest cost		82,318		81,960
Expected return on assets		-91,541		-86,422
Amortization of net loss		27,301		38,891
Amortization of prior service cost		4,367		4,367
Net periodic pension cost	$	79,050	$	99,141

The Trust had previously disclosed in its Annual Report as of December 31, 2007, that the next contribution to the plan for 2008 is estimated to approximate $270,000, subject to the plan’s annual actuarial valuation performed as of the plan’s fiscal year-end, March 31. No additional updated information is available at this time.

Note D – COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

A summary of the components of comprehensive income for the three months ended March 31 is as follows:

	2008		2007
Net income	$	1,737,342	$	2,643,541
Other comprehensive income:
Defined benefit pension plan-
Amortization of net loss		27,301		38,891
Amortization of prior service cost		4,367		4,367
Total other comprehensive income		31,668		43,258
Total comprehensive income	$	1,769,010	$	2,686,799

Note E – RECENTLY ADOPTED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS

During September 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 157 “Fair Value Measurements.” This Statement defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value and expands disclosures about fair value measurements. This Statement does not require any new fair value measurements, but applies under other accounting pronouncements that require or permit fair value measurements. The effective date of this Statement for non-financial assets and liabilities that are not recognized or disclosed on a recurring basis has been delayed to fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2008. Effective January 1, 2008, the Trust adopted the provisions of this Statement as it relates to financial assets and liabilities recognized or disclosed on a recurring basis. The adoption of the effective portion of this Statement had no impact on the Trust’s financial statements as the Trust does not have any financial assets or liabilities required to be recognized or disclosed on a recurring basis.

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Item 2.   Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Periods of Three Months ended March 31, 2008 and March 31, 2007

The Trust owns interest in 12,033 acres on the Mesabi Iron Range Formation in northeastern Minnesota, most of which are under lease to major iron ore producing companies. Due to the Trustees’ election pursuant to Section 646 of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, as amended, commencing with year 1989 the Trust is not subject to federal and Minnesota corporate income taxes. The Trust is now a grantor trust. Shares of beneficial interest in the Trust are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “GNI” (CUSIP No. 391064102).

The terms of the Great Northern Iron Ore Properties Trust Agreement, created December 7, 1906, state that the Trust shall continue for twenty years after the death of the last survivor of eighteen persons named in the Trust Agreement. The last survivor of these eighteen persons died on April 6, 1995. Accordingly, the Trust terminates twenty years from April 6, 1995, that being April 6, 2015.

At the end of the Trust on April 6, 2015, the certificates of beneficial interest (shares) in the Trust will cease to trade on the New York Stock Exchange and thereafter will represent only the right to receive certain distributions payable to the certificate holders of record at the time of the termination of the Trust. Upon termination, the Trust is obligated to distribute ratably to these certificate holders the net monies remaining in the hands of the Trustees (after paying and providing for all expenses and obligations of the Trust), plus the balance in the Principal Charges account (this account is explained in the Trust’s Annual Report sent to all certificate holders every year). All other Trust property (most notably the Trust’s mineral properties and the active leases) must be conveyed and transferred to the reversioner (currently Glacier Park Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of ConocoPhillips) under the terms of the Trust Agreement.

We have previously provided information in our various Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including our Annual Report, about the final distribution payable to the certificate holders upon the Trust’s termination. The exact final distribution, though not determinable at this time, will generally consist of the sum of the Trust’s net monies (essentially, total assets less liabilities and properties) and the balance in the Principal Charges account, less any and all expenses and obligations of the Trust upon termination. To offer a hypothetical example, without factoring in any expenses and obligations of the Trust upon its termination, and using the financial statement values as of December 31, 2007, the net monies were approximately $8,134,000 and the Principal Charges account balance was approximately $5,037,000, resulting in a final distribution payable of approximately $13,171,000, or about $8.78 per share. After payment of this final distribution, the certificates of beneficial interest (shares) would be cancelled and have no further value. It is important to note, however, that the actual net monies on hand and the Principal Charges account balance will most likely fluctuate during the ensuing years and will not be “final” until after the termination and wind-down of the Trust. The Trust offers this example to further inform investors about the conceptual nature of the final distribution and does not imply or guarantee a specific known final distribution amount.

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Results of Operations:

Royalties decreased $904,953 during the three months ended March 31, 2008, as compared to the same period in 2007, due mainly to absorption of previously paid minimum royalties on tonnage mined from Trust lands.

Interest and other income decreased $27,384 during the three months ended March 31, 2008, as compared to the same period in 2007, due mainly to reduced yields on the Trust’s investments and less timber harvesting on Trust lands.

Costs and expenses decreased $26,138 during the three months ended March 31, 2008, as compared to the same period in 2007, due mainly to reduced pension expense.

At their meeting held on March 10, 2008, the Trustees declared a distribution of $2.00 per share, amounting to $3,000,000 payable April 30, 2008, to certificate holders of record at the close of business on March 31, 2008. At their meeting held on March 9, 2007, the Trustees declared a distribution of $2.00 per share, amounting to $3,000,000 paid on April 30, 2007, to certificate holders of record at the close of business on March 30, 2007. The Trustees intend to continue quarterly distributions and set the record date as of the last business day of each quarter. The next distribution will be paid in late July 2008 to certificate holders of record on June 30, 2008.

A mining agreement dated January 1, 1959, with United States Steel Corporation provides that one-half of annual earned royalty income, after satisfaction of minimum royalty payments, shall be applied to reimburse the lessee for a portion of its cost of acquisition of surface lands overlying the leased mineral deposits, which surface lands are then conveyed to the Trustees. There are surface lands yet to be purchased, the costs of which are yet unknown and will not be known until the actual purchases are made.

Liquidity:

In the interest of preservation of principal of Court-approved reserves and guided by the restrictive provisions of Section 646 of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, as amended, monies are invested primarily in U.S. Treasury securities with maturity dates not to exceed three years and, along with cash flows from operations, are deemed adequate to meet currently foreseeable liquidity needs.

Item 3.     Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

- None

Item 4.     Controls and Procedures

As of the end of the period covered by this report, the Trust conducted an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the Trust’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”)). Based on this evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that the Trust’s disclosure controls and procedures are effective to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Trust in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission rules and forms. There was no change in the Trust’s internal control over financial reporting during the Trust’s most recently completed fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Trust’s internal control over financial reporting.

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PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1.    Legal Proceedings

- None

Item 1A.  Risk Factors

There are no material changes from the risk factors previously disclosed in the Trust’s December 31, 2007 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Item 2.     Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

- None

Item 3.     Defaults Upon Senior Securities

- None

Item 4.     Submission of Matters to a Vote of Certificate Holders

- None

Item 5.     Other Information

- None

Item 6.     Exhibits

- Exhibit 31.1 – Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

- Exhibit 31.2 – Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

- Exhibit 32 – Certifications of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906 of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (Furnished but not filed)

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

			GREAT NORTHERN IRON ORE PROPERTIES (Registrant)
Date	April 24, 2008	By	/s/ Joseph S. Micallef
			Joseph S. Micallef, President of the Trustees and Chief Executive Officer

Date	April 24, 2008	By	/s/ Thomas A. Janochoski
			Thomas A. Janochoski, Vice President & Secretary and Chief Financial Officer

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EX-31.1

Exhibit 31.1

Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

I, Joseph S. Micallef, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Great Northern Iron Ore Properties;

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4. The registrant’s other certifying officers and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15f and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

a) designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared; and

b) designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; and

c) evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

d) disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting;

5. The registrant’s other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors [or persons performing the equivalent functions]:

a) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

By	/s/ Joseph S. Micallef	Date:	April 24, 2008
	Joseph S. Micallef President of the Trustees and Chief Executive Officer

EX-31.2

Exhibit 31.2

Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

I, Thomas A. Janochoski, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Great Northern Iron Ore Properties;

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4. The registrant’s other certifying officers and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15f and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

a) designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared; and

b) designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; and

c) evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

d) disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting;

5. The registrant’s other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors [or persons performing the equivalent functions]:

a) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

By	/s/ Thomas A. Janochoski	Date:	April 24, 2008
	Thomas A. Janochoski Vice President & Secretary and Chief Financial Officer

EX-32

Exhibit 32

Certifications of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906 of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
(Furnished but not filed)

In connection with this quarterly report of Great Northern Iron Ore Properties on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, I, Joseph S. Micallef, President of the Trustees and Chief Executive Officer of Great Northern Iron Ore Properties, certify that:

1. This quarterly report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

2. The information contained in this quarterly report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of Great Northern Iron Ore Properties.

A signed original of this written statement required by Section 906, or other document authenticating, acknowledging or otherwise adopting the signature that appears in typed form within the electronic version of this written statement required by Section 906, has been provided to Great Northern Iron Ore Properties and will be retained by Great Northern Iron Ore Properties and furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request.

Date	April 24, 2008	By	/s/ Joseph S. Micallef
			Joseph S. Micallef, President of the Trustees and Chief Executive Officer

In connection with this quarterly report of Great Northern Iron Ore Properties on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, I, Thomas A. Janochoski, Vice President & Secretary and Chief Financial Officer of Great Northern Iron Ore Properties, certify that:

1. This quarterly report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

2. The information contained in this quarterly report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of Great Northern Iron Ore Properties.

A signed original of this written statement required by Section 906, or other document authenticating, acknowledging or otherwise adopting the signature that appears in typed form within the electronic version of this written statement required by Section 906, has been provided to Great Northern Iron Ore Properties and will be retained by Great Northern Iron Ore Properties and furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request.

Date	April 24, 2008	By	/s/ Thomas A. Janochoski
			Thomas A. Janochoski, Vice President & Secretary and Chief Financial Officer