The president and CEO of Stillwater Mining, Frank McAllister, is quoted in an article appearing on Mineweb today as saying that "the long term growth for these metals [PGM's] should be robust" because "supplies are limited". The article goes on to say:

"He noted that emissions control systems and regulations on pollutants are becoming more stringent, necessitating the consumption of more PGM metals. Although the U.S. automotive industry is teetering on the verge of bankruptcy, McAllister said demand for vehicles in China and India is increasing, generating a corresponding demand for PGMs."

To read the entire article, you can click on the following link:

http://www.mineweb.com/mineweb/view/...

Noront has already proved up extremely high grade PGM's such as platinum and palladium, in a sizeable deposit that could be mined by open pit method (which is much cheaper, and therefore more profitable, than the underground mining operations being conducted by Stillwater in the U.S. and by Impala in South Africa). Platinum and palladium are prime components in emissions control systems.

The article I posted on this board yesterday quoted Johnson Matthey as also forecasting a significant supply shortfall for platinum over the coming year. http://agoracom.com/ir/Noront/messag...

The upcoming shortage of platinum supply will drive prices higher and encourage the promotion of production from the most cost-effective sources. Noront's Eagle projects should be high on the list of new, cost-efficient mines. That should spark some investor and buy-out interest!