BALTIMORE (AP) — The Sparrows Point steel mill will be auctioned in January if buyers don’t step forward for all or part of the property, liquidator Hilco Industrial said Tuesday.

Bids are due by Dec. 21, and an auction will be held Jan. 3 if necessary with a closing date no later than Jan. 11, the company said in materials posted online. Officials want to make sure potential operators have plenty of time to bid, said Hilco spokesman Gary Epstein.