Just read Item 1. on LB reading list, link below for complete reading. Part of the text is pasted below for quick reference.

http://www.trefis.com/stock/clf/articles/205728/cliffs-natural-loses-key-land-dispute-putting-crucial-chromite-project-in-jeopardy/2013-09-13.

The Commission has spoken regarding CLF application for its private road easement. And CLF has 30 days (?) to decide whether to appeal the decision while mulling over its options.

- Appeal: An appeal may take a long time to resolve and this could tie up the RoF development (not only CLF BT) for year. Unless, under "national interest" consideration the government(s) in its/their wisdom may decide to intervene. Presumably the government reigns supreme in the use of the land. I would venture a guess that CLF would not take this route after learning from its mistake trying to bulldoze over tiny KWG. I am just wondering if CLF has any strong argument to launch an appeal given a comprehensive review of their application for an easement over KWG claims.

- No appeal: This option is much better, since it would signal that CLF is willing to put the differences with KWG aside, and would be willing to sit down to have a serious and win-win negotiation with KWG and other stakeholders. The Province of Ontario has reportedly promised its matching fund for the private road, and this amount can be used toward building the RR. It should be noted that a large chromite mine (like BT, or BD, etc.) would make a lot of money (profit for the miner, employment for the people, taxes for the government). The tax revenue would be a cash cow for the governments and should be more than enough to get back the amounts they would need to contribute.

The cost of building a private road (did not go down too well with the Commission - no public benefit) would be over $1B, while the cost of the RR is an additional $0.5B which can be financed by many potential sources. Devepment of BD would not require a concentrator, $0.8B savings. That alone is more than enough to make up for the required $0.5B. The rest of the scheme is simply the details to be sorted out.

Once the hatchets have been buried, with some prodding from the governments this deal of building an RR to the RoF (and potential extension to complete the loop to Victor Mine, Moosonee, and other part of Hudson Bay to connect to a potential deep-sea port) can come together quite quickly. All we need is some leadership from future one level of government to signal this nation building scheme.

Since the Commission has ruled, perhaps, we should take this opportunity to contact Premier Wynne and PM Harper and apply a little presure for them to expedite the process? This is what I would call "nation building" from our political leaders.

goldhunter

Cliffs Natural Loses Key Land Dispute Putting Crucial Chromite Project In Jeopardy

September 13th, 2013 by Trefis Team

The adverse ruling has put the fate of Cliffs’ Black Thor project in jeopardy,.....

The company has claimed in the past, that building an all-weather surface road is the only way to make its $3.3 billion project viable.....

We think that the adverse ruling, combined with the company’s stretched finances, ongoing uncertainties over the environmental assessment process and a stalemate with the First Nations communities, could even force the company to abandon the project