I do not even pretend to understand how these giants think and what gets their attention.

However I suspect that Xstrata consisiders the ROF in it's infancy and Noront is just a hickup on its radar screen. Companys of this size are not really interested in doing a lot of exploration work, particularly where there is no infrastructure.

That being said, Inco certainly did a lot of exploration work after they acquired Voisey's BAy and there was little infrastructure to speak of.

Company's the size of Xstrata , Vale(CVRD), BHP etc deal in millions and billions of $$$. I forget the market cap of Cliffs and I don't feel like looking it up but Xstrata could buy them for pocket change.

I suspect they would prefer to wait until the project is further advanced before they jump into the act.

There have been indications along the way that the Ontario Gov't will get behind the ROF. Manufacturing in Ontario is at a standstill and will likely stay that way. We will never compete with China and India.

There are several gov't initiatives that suggest that they (gov't) are finally waking up to the idea that ontario needs to fully exploit its natural resources if it intends to get the economy rolling again. Anyone that lives outside Southern ontario understood that long ago but the poluted atmosphere at Queens Park kept the politicians from seeing beyong the 401.

Just think about it for a moment. How many communities the size of Sudbury (160,000) do you think we could have in Northern Ontario if the infrastructure was in place?

Do you think the Nickel Belt and the Ring of Fire are the only 2 rich mineral areas in the vase expanse of Northern Ontario? Of course not. But most of the roads and rail lines run south of the 49th parallel.

Sudbury was discovered when they put in the railroad in the late 1800's. Had they not done that, it would still be undiscovered.

If you think that Sudbury does not add significantly to the GDP of the province and the country , think again. It would not take many Sudbury's to replace the manufacturing jobs that have been lost in southern ontario permanently.

But then you say people would have to endure the hardships of winter. Well the last time I looked, Edmonton was doing quite well for itself and it certainly is colder than any winter I have ever seen in Sudbury.

Sorry for the aside but those of us that live north of Barrie have gotten tired of having little government money poured into developing the north. So now we are seeing that necessity is the mother of invention. The gov't is finally recognizing the need to develop the north. The light bulb has come on.

So what was the question? Oh yes the big boys and Noront. Well I doubt if you will see any interest from the big boys until they are convinced that both levels of gov't are prepared to put their money where there mouth is. Yesterdays remarks from McGuinty were certainly encouraging.

SN