I doubt that Plan A was ever shelved. In fact, I am betting that it did not even have to be dusted off. Noront likely has been quietly continuing work on the East/West corridor all along. It would be the prudent and responsible thing for a self-reliant management team to have been doing. It also would explain why local FNs said little when Noront publicly supported the N/S route.

I still say Noront is fully engaged in planning and building a mine in the RoF. It will make us proud and it will make us rich.