"And we all have to give a tremendous "pat on the back" to Wes and his team at Noront for their many initiatives in Webequie and Martin Falls."

And with the above statement, perhaps we could get this forum back on track. It is, after all a Noront forum, yet virtually all recent discussions have concerned Cliff's recent announcement, and the furor caused by it.

Noront presently has no, and never has had, any connection with Greenstone area. Their mining plan is to build a road out to Pickle Lake, and haul all concentrate out that way. This would tend to indicate that most, or all, animosity that will occur from the Greenstone area would be aimed at others. Certainly, the recent announcement from Webequie would indicate things are relatively positive at the moment.

Another point that most miss, is that Noront's recent 43-101 indicates they have a world class chrome deposit equal to either of Cliff's. The report suggest they look at possibilities to bring this deposit to market. Hell, maybe they will opt to locate a smelter at Greenstone in return for a guarantee that no one else will be allowed to transit chrome through the area???

Noront has a full feasibility study due out any day (actually overdue). They have an investor that has a history of financing a project such as we have to production. They have an environmental study almost complete. They could feasibly go directly to permitting and announce financing at the same time, and be off and running while CLF is still in feasibility study for next year.

I can understand the frustration folks in the Greenstone area must feel. However the time to have fought the battle was during the time period when the selection was made. We only know what we read in the news, but all I recall reading about was that Sudbury was prominent in the process. For whatever reasons, it was selected in the end. To come out after the fact, saying they weren't properly consulted, is unfortunately , to little, too late. However, if the present CLF plan comes to fruition, it would seem there will be a loadout facility there, as well as a couple hundred truckers stationed there. With the road access originating from there, they will likely host a good portion of the miners and their families. It won't amount to the benefits that a smelter would have bought, such as hydro, but surely will be significant. Some is not as good as all, but does anyone ever get it all?

Best regards

K