Here is my post in NOT board in response to the link below, FYI.

http://agoracom.com/ir/Noront/forums/discussion/topics/602960-noront-in-negotiations-with-several-stakeholders-to-get-it-done-asap/messages/1891152#message

Hope that KWG (and no CLF) will be present at the meeting in Timmins.

Perhaps, we should give KWG a stir to find out if they will be there to sell the RR as a package with the ONTC re-org. Any volunteer?

goldhunter

------------------from NOT board------------------------------------------

Re: Noront in negotiations with several stakeholders to get it done asap

Article says: "Let's have a look at the road for an example," said Cramer. "If the government ... came in and said, 'Look, enough of this between the two of you, we're going to build an east-west road.' What's Cliffs' approach? Well, we evaluate our project on the ability to service it by the east-west road, we present that to our investors, they either invest or they don't."

My comments: I would doubt very much that CLF will go through the the trouble going through the process of evaluation then present to the investors for their decision. It's more likely that CLF would quickly say no to that, since the EW road if it were built would be a public road (no private road) which trucks must share with passenger cars. It would be a waste of time to present the options to their investors, unless the options include RR which is the best (only cheap) way to haul bulky stuff. But, above all where would they get the $3.2B to develop BT including the smelter (Prov's subsidy for the electricity rate would be a condition for the Prov to consider...may be the current Prov Gov is not too anxious to fork out big money, since Spring (election) is in the air. Besides, KWG gas-powered smelter is much cheaper to operate and does not require Prov's subsidy.

Also, it would be unlikely that the Prov would build a 3-lane (each way) super highway EW corridors. The EW road would be fine for NOT to bring in construction equipment and supplies in and haul out the NI concentratres. The volume of Ni concentrates is much less compared to that of chromite so a smaller road (cheaper) would be sufficient. NOT was talking about some $240M(?) which can be (easily) financed by its partners. It could be a toll road to help paying for the cost.

The volume of chromite CLF had in mind to ship BT chromite concentrates out would be huge. That's why they need a NS private road for monster trucks (at a frequency of one truck for every 4 minutes). An alternative shipping mode would be by train (NS route proposed by KWG).

It's agme over for CLF, but I don't quite understand why they keep on talking, pretending that the 3.2B will be there for them to develope BT.

I hope in the meeting in Timmins, KWG will be presnt (and not CLF) since they don't seem to be able to see eye to eye.

Just my interpretation.

goldhunter