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OPEN SOURCE INFORMATION Ring of Fire Date 12 Jan 12

11 Jan 12

6 Jan 12

Details/source "A plane crash on Tuesday that claimed four lives near North Spirit Lake is yet another reminder of the dangers faced by those living and working in northern reserves. According to reports, a Keystone Air plane, carrying four passengers and a pilot, was attempting to land in a blinding blizzard and went down in a ball of fire. One passenger managed to escape the wreckage, crawling free. The accident comes within a week of Aboriginal leaders in Northern Ontario and Manitoba calling on their respective provincial governments to consider speeding up plans to increase the number of all-weather roads to remote, fly-in reserves. It could be money well spent. Economically it could vastly reduce the cost of goods and services on the reserves, along with lessening the need for harrowing wintertime flights into and out of the communities. And it doesn’t necessarily have to be solely on the backs of taxpayers. The roads, which NAN Grand Chief Stan Beardy said should run along the east-west corridor, could also be vital links for the Ring of Fire and other mining projects. Certainly, with billions at stake, the mining companies can be expected to contribute heavily to the construction of the roads, while helping to improve the lives of those whose traditional lands they’ll be developing." http://www.tbnewswatch.com/opinion/183159/Editorial-All-weather-road-call "Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. (NYSE: CLF) (Paris: CLF) today announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend on the Company's common shares of $0.28 per share. The cash dividend will be payable on March 1, 2012, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on Feb. 15, 2012 ...." http://ir.cliffsnaturalresources.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=638780 "2011 was the busiest year ever for Thunder Bay International Airport. The airport hosted 719,500 passengers, eclipsing the 2010 volume of 691,826 which represents a 4% increase year over year. The increased interest in the mining sector, and in particular the “Ring of Fire” appear to be the big factors in the increased growth .... " http://netnewsledger.com/2012/01/11/2011-was-thebusiest-year-ever-for-thunder-bay-international-airport/ "Ring of Fire junior miner, KWG Resources announced it's raised $1.75 million through flow-through shares to help pay for exploration at its high grade chromium project in the James Bay lowlands. In a Dec. 30 release, the Montreal-based company said it's using the proceeds to fund half of its current drilling program at the Big Daddy deposit, currently being conducted by Cliffs Chromite Far North, formerly Spider Resources. Of the 17,500,000 units issued at a price of $0.10 per unit, insiders of the company purchased 2,500,000 units, or 14 per cent of the offering." http://www.northernontariobusiness.com/Around-theNorth/120104/It-s-cash-that-turn-the-Big-Daddy-drills-in-the-Ring-of-Fire.aspx Open letter from Chief of Attawapiskat First Nation: ".... We even had discussions to consolidate our total debt with a financial institution that would see us clear of Co-Management and allow my First Nation to refine our operations, and to become more effectively organized to take on the challenges to my Traditional Lands caused by exploitation of developments in the Ring of Fire ...." http://netnewsledger.com/2012/01/06/attawapiskat-chief-spence-letter-to-aboriginal-affairs-minister-duncan/ "A court ruling in favour of a Timmins-area First Nation regarding a mining dispute is further evidence that courts are backing up Aboriginal legal requirements to be consulted before drilling and staking begins. “It proves the point that if you don’t follow the

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law, you’re going to end up in court and it’s going to cost your investors money,” Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Stan Beardy said Thursday. eardy was reacting to Ontario Superior Court of Justice Carol Brown’s decision this week that granted a 120-day injunction to Wahgoshig First Nation to temporarily prevent junior miner Solid Gold Resources from drilling on their land. ccording to the ruling, “no consultation occurred with (WFN) before Solid Gold’s drilling began in the spring of 2011.” ...." http://www.chroniclejournal.com/content/news/local/2012/01/06/injunction-shuts-down-miner

5 Jan 12

"Wahgoshig First Nation has won an injunction to halt mining exploration in an area it claims as sacred ground. In a decision of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice delivered Tuesday, Solid Gold Resource Corporation was ordered to stop drilling on its claims block near Wahgoshig for 120 days. The court ordered that Solid Gold and Wahgoshig must enter into a process of "meaningful consultation and accommodation" during this injunction period. If a resolution is not reached, Wahgoshig can seek an extension of the injunction at that time. Darryl Stretch, president of Solid Gold, said it was a "very bad day for mineral and mining exploration in Canada." He told The Daily Press his company had gone through the proper channels with the provincial government only to be "blindsided" by unresolved treaty claims. "I have to tell you, I have a lot of animosity towards the Crown (province) right at this moment," Stretch said. "I spent $5 million of shareholders' money and invested it in that area because the Crown invited us to do that -- in fact, encouraged us to do that. And at the time we began that process in 2007, knowing we were going to have a good gold mining market and it was going to be a good time to explore, it was one of the best places on the planet to explore because the Mining Act allows us to go in there, do what was necessary and still take care of the environment, the Cemeteries Act and all the other things explorers have to do in the 21st century. We did all of those things, and we get blindsided by First Nations." ...." http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3427486 "In a decision of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, released January 3, Madam Justice Brown ordered that Solid Gold Resources Corp. cannot carry on any further exploration activity on its claims block for 120 days, and that during this time the company and the Ontario Crown must engage with Wahgoshig in a process of meaningful consultation and accommodation about any such further exploration. She ordered that if this process is not productive, Wahgoshig can go back to court to seek an extension of the injunction. Solid Gold's mining claims block is in the heart of Wahgoshig's traditional territory, on land that is of significant importance to Wahgoshig. Solid Gold came onto this land and started drilling without any consultation or accommodation occurring first. The court decision clearly finds this to be wrong. "We are very pleased with this decision," says Wahgoshig Chief David Babin. "We feel that justice has been done. Exploration and other companies across Canada will hopefully recognize that aboriginal and treaty rights really mean something and that courts will not let our rights be trampled on by unilateral actions and failures of industry and government." ...." http://prcanada.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=496297&Itemid=55 "A northern Ontario First Nation has won an injunction to temporarily prevent junior miner Solid Gold Resources from drilling on their land. In a decision this week, Ontario Superior Court of Justice Carol Brown sided with the First Nations community, saying Solid Gold (TSXV:SLD) failed to engage in consultation. The ruling prohibits Solid Gold from any further exploration in the area for 120 days, during which time the company and the provincial government must undergo a proper consultation process with Wahgoshig .... The Grassy Narrows First Nation had challenged the province's right to permit industrial logging on its traditional lands, saying it infringed on their hunting and trapping rights under a treaty they signed in 1873. Lawyers in that case had said

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4 Jan 12

3 Jan 12

the ruling would likely have legal implications for similar disputes in Ontario — such as the massive Ring of Fire chromite deposit in the north. Premier Dalton McGuinty would not comment directly on the ruling Thursday but he waved aside questions about whether this would make relations between First Nations and exploration companies more difficult. "There is an important legal obligation now placed on businesses to consult in a formal and thorough way," he said after an announcement in Waterloo, Ont. "We need to get beyond the times where First Nation communities and the interests that they had in resources were given short shrift and were disrespected." That obligation to consult, he added, is there "for a good reason." "We fully expect that if businesses have an interest in pursuing these kinds of explorations, that they will consult." ...." http://ca.news.yahoo.com/northern-ontario-first-nation-wins-injunction-stop-exploration-152754256.html "In a decision of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, released January 3, Madam Justice Brown ordered that Solid Gold Resources Corp. cannot carry on any further exploration activity on its claims block for 120 days, and that during this time the company and the Ontario Crown must engage with Wahgoshig in a process of meaningful consultation and accommodation about any such further exploration. She ordered that if this process is not productive, Wahgoshig can go back to court to seek an extension of the injunction. Solid Gold's mining claims block is in the heart of Wahgoshig's traditional territory, on land that is of significant importance to Wahgoshig. Solid Gold came onto this land and started drilling without any consultation or accommodation occurring first. The court decision clearly finds this to be wrong ...." http://www.marketwatch.com/story/wahgoshig-first-nation-wins-injunction-against-solid-gold-mineral-exploration-2012-01-04 "A northern Ontario First Nation won an injunction Wednesday against a junior exploration company that ignored provincial requests it consult with the Algonquin community before drilling on its traditional territory. An Ontario Superior Court judge sided with Wahgoshig First Nation and issued an injunction against Solid Gold Resources preventing the firm from doing any more work on the First Nation’s territory for 120 days. Justice Carole Brown ordered the company and the province to begin a consultation process with the community during the injunction period. Solid Gold president Darryl Stretch said he was disappointed with the decision. “It’s a bad day for junior exploration companies operating in Canada,” said Stretch ...." http://aptn.ca/pages/news/2012/01/04/exploration-company-slapped-with-injunction-over-refusal-to-consult-with-algonquin-fn/ Analysis, Livio di Matteo: "As 2012 dawns, Ontario’s Northwest begins another year of change and anticipation of change .... Despite the new knowledge economy, rocks and trees will still be important to the regional economy in 2012. However, despite the promise of the Ring of Fire, nothing substantial will happen without the cooperation of the First Nations, competitive energy prices and new transportation infrastructure ...." http://netnewsledger.com/2012/01/03/as-2012-dawns-ontarios-northwest-beginsanother-year-of-change/ ".... Patrick Dillon, Business Manager of the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario, said work is currently picking up in transportation, mining and utility projects. All areas of the province will be seeing growth, like the north, where mining is getting stronger, roads need to be built and the Ring of Fire has potential for huge growth. “We as industry partners are really going to have some forethought and discussion, basic understanding between us about the Ring of Fire. It’s pretty remote and it’s going to take a pretty major construction workforce to supply,” said Dillon ...." http://dcnonl.com/article/id48158/--project-flow-toremain-steady-in-2012-experts "Green Swan Capital Corp. (TSX-V:GSW.H) has successfully secured financing to fund a mining joint venture it has been working on with Melkior Resources Inc. (TSX-V:MKR) The Ottawa capital pool company raised $647,019.98 via flow-through and cash

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2 Jan 12

1 Jan 12

financings. Flow-through financing included 1,807,846 shares at 13 cents per share, and the cash financing comprised 4,120,000 units at 10 cents a share. Last August, Green Swan announced it was looking to acquire an option to purchase up to a 70-percent interest in Melkior's RiverBank and Broke Back claims in the Ring of Fire area of northern Ontario. The firm was required to do the qualifying transaction to secure funds; it is a common method used by capital pool companies to raise money quickly and inexpensively. The TSX Venture Exchange is expected to issue an update on Jan. 11 regarding its receipt of the qualifying transaction." http://www.obj.ca/Local/Mining/2012-01-03/article-2853323/Green-Swan-raises-647K-for-joint-venture/1 "The Plaintiff, Wahgoshig First Nation (“WFN” or “Wahgoshig”) brings this motion for an interlocutory injunction restraining the defendant, Solid Gold Resources Corp. (“Solid Gold”), from engaging in all activities relating to mineral exploration in the area of Treaty 9 lands, and an order that Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Ontario (“Ontario” or “the Crown” or “the Province”) provide an undertaking in damages to Solid Gold or, in the alternative, an order dispensing with the undertaking requirements of R.40.03 of the Rules of Civil Procedure, R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 194. Solid Gold argues that granting injunctive relief would jeopardize its financial well-being and essentially “shut down” its operations. Ontario submits that the duty to consult is triggered, and that it delegated the operational aspects of the duty to Solid Gold, which has not fulfilled the duty. It seeks the Court’s assistance in fashioning a consultation remedy that promotes reconciliation by fairly balancing the right of WFN to be properly consulted and the right of Solid Gold to carry out its mining activities. It proposes that the Court fashion a remedy that will require consultation between Solid Gold and WFN and will permit Solid Gold to carry on its test drilling on a staged and managed basis that is informed by the information and input provided by WFN .... I order that .... Solid Gold be enjoined from carrying on any further exploratory activity on the Claims Block for 120 days from the release of this decision ...." http://www.canlii.org/en/on/onsc/doc/2011/2011onsc7708/2011onsc7708.html or http://ringoffirenews.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/wahgoshig-solidgold-2011onsc7708-3jan12.pdf or http://bit.ly/ycUJLt (PDF) ".... In February, Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. announced it had chosen Capreol as the “base case” location to process chromite from the Ring of Fire deposit, although a final decision on the plant’s location hasn’t been made. The company was well received by Capreol community members at a November project open house. Less than a month later, the NDP expressed concern Cliffs may seek an exemption to the Mining Act so it can ship concentrate from the deposit to refineries outside of Canada ...." http://www.northernlife.ca/news/localNews/2011/12/30-mining-in-2011.aspx "The new report by the Conference Board of Canada titled Northern Assets: Transportation Infrastructure in Remote Communities on transportation in northern Canada provides a case study of Churchill Manitoba as a potential international gateway that may give the Port of Thunder Bay some cause for concern. The Port of Churchill and its Bay Line rail line play a key role in what is referred to as the Government of Manitoba’s Churchill Gateway System. Churchill could increase its role as a shipping hub by diversifying the range of agricultural products it handles and by increasing its share of Nunavut-bound freight—especially for mining projects. As well, climate change and melting sea ice is opening up the possibility of developing polar shipping lanes between Churchill, Asia, and Europe .... Alarm bells should be ringing in Thunder Bay given that this new strategy is not just a Manitoba government lobbying strategy but now also seems to have been given the blessing of the Conference Board of Canada. What’s next? A call for Federal government funding to build a rail link from Churchill to the Ring of Fire?" http://netnewsledger.com/2012/01/01/alarm-bells-should-be-ringing-in-thunder-bay-di-matteo/ Marta Bristow & Vijay Gill, "Northern Assets: Transportation Infrastructure in Remote Communities, " The Conference Board of

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Canada, 78 pages, December 2011 http://www.conferenceboard.ca/documents.aspx?did=4567 or http://ringoffirenews.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/12-139_northernassets-rpt.pdf or http://bit.ly/yAqmgt (6.8 MB PDF)

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31 Dec 11

30 Dec 11

22 Dec 11

".... the Ring of Fire. I work on this file a lot, because there are approximately 70 mining and manufacturing companies in the riding of Nipissing, and the Ring of Fire is the largest mining opportunity to come our way in a century, so I want to see that Nipissing is positioned well to take advantage of it. I talked to your paper before when I flew into the Ring of Fire. I am one of the rare few politicians who ever set foot in the Ring of Fire. When I flew in, a big smile came into my face when I saw the blue and white tent knowing that they are made in Rutherglen, in our riding at Canadian Tentex. They are responsible for building the town. Then as soon as I got off the helicopter I saw piles of drill rods and knew they were made in Powassan and half a dozen other places in and around North Bay. So this is our place. The Ring of Fire is where we need to be, we need North Bay to be there front and centre. So I spend a lot of time on that file, either mentally or meeting with organizations to move our agenda in that area ...." http://www.northbaynipissing.com/2011/12/fedeli-describes-new-life-as-mpp/ "KWG Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE:KWG) has issued 17,500,000 Units at a price of $0.10 per Unit for proceeds of $1,750,000. Each Unit, issued on a “flow-through” basis pursuant to the Income Tax Act (Canada), consisted of one common share of the Company and one-half of one warrant. Each whole warrant entitles its holder to purchase one common share for $0.12 until June 30, 2014. Insiders of the Company purchased a total of 2,500,000 Units, representing approximately 14% of the Offering. KWG will use the proceeds to fund its half of the current drilling program at the Big Daddy deposit being conducted by Cliffs Chromite Far North Inc. (formerly Spider Resources Inc.) as the Operator. The Company paid a finder’s fee of $75,000 and issued 750,000 compensation options to a registrant in connection with the Offering. Each compensation option entitles the holder to purchase one common share of the Company for $0.12 until June 30, 2014. All securities issued in connection with the Offering will be subject to a four-month statutory hold period, which will expire on May 1, 2012 ...." http://www.rblcommunications.com/blog/2011/12/30/kwg-completes-flow-through-placement/ "Ring of Fire junior miner KWG Resources has come up with a unique way of contributing to the United Way of Thunder Bay. The company is working with the agency to facilitate donations of up to $2 million for the founding by the Wasaya Group of residences for First Nations students from the Far North who are attending high school in the city. Chief Theresa Okimaw-Hall, executive director of Canada Chrome, the transportation arm of KWG, said the company will complete a private placement of flow-through shares to fund its half of the drilling program now underway with Cliffs Natural Resources at the Big Daddy chromite deposit in the James Bay lowlands. “The purchasers of the flow-through shares will then donate the shares to the United Way of Thunder Bay.” Funds generated by the sale, through a deal between the company and the Wasaya Group/Wasaya Wee-CheeWay-Win Inc. will be made available for the acquisition, furnishing and maintenance of residences for students attending Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School. Hall said it's a “very practical use” of the flow-through concept and a unique way of demonstrating how exploration spending on First Nations traditional land can generate a ripple effect for young people. “Just imagine what might be done with perhaps $800 million of flow-through expenditures that our proposed Ring of Fire railroad could generate?” ...." http://www.northernontariobusiness.com/Around-the-North/111219/Ring-of-Fire-miner-helps-fund-First-Nationresidences.aspx "A former provincial energy minister-turned-consultant said First Nations will have the ultimate say on how the Ring of Fire mineral developments will unfold, and that includes the location of a proposed ferrochrome smelter. George Smitherman is pitching for the furnaces to be located in the northwestern Ontario municipality of Greenstone, and the village of Exton, which is already designated as a future ore transloading junction. Cliffs Natural Resources has maintained Sudbury is the frontrunner

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21 Dec 11

20 Dec 11

among four Northern Ontario communities to land the processing plant, and its 400-plus jobs, but only if provincial power rates are competitive with neighbouring jurisdictions. The international miner is expected to name the site for the plant sometime this year. “If the company persists in seeing the decision narrowly on the basis of power, then this has great project risk.” Smitherman said the Matawa tribal chiefs won't stand for the extraction of a resource from their traditional territories “to watch it trucked past their door.” He said Cliffs' statements that it was considering filing for a domestic processing exemption to take chromite ore out of the province for refining should be of great concern to all Ontarians. “This has got to be a decision taken out of the hands of the technocrats and into the hands of those steering the overall project.” Smitherman said the First Nations are the big X factor in the advancement of the Ring of Fire development. “Anyone who hasn't figured that out is at risk for a rude awakening.” ...." http://www.northernontariobusiness.com/Industry-News/mining/First-Nations-have-final-word-on-Ring-of-Fire,says-ex-minister.aspx "KWG Resources Inc. advises that it is working with the United Way of Thunder Bay to facilitate donations of up to $2 million for the founding by Wasaya Group of residences for students of the Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School. Chief Theresa OkimawHall, Executive Director of KWG's transportation subsidiary Canada Chrome Corporation explained, "KWG will complete a private placement of flow-through shares to fund its half of the current drilling program at the Big Daddy deposit being conducted by Cliffs Natural Resources. The purchasers of the flow-through shares will then donate the shares to the United Way of Thunder Bay. The funds derived from their sale, through a working agreement with KWG Resources and the Wasaya Group/Wasaya Wee-CheeWay-Win Inc. will then be made available for the acquisition, furnishing and maintenance of residences for students attending the Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School." "This is a very practical use of the 'donation flow-through' concept, and demonstrates a most unique way in which exploration spending in our traditional lands may generate a ripple effect that has direct and immediate consequences for our young people. Just imagine what might be done with perhaps $800 million of flow-through expenditures that our proposed Ring of Fire Railroad could generate." .... The proposed private placement will be comprised of units of one flow-through share and one-half share purchase warrant. The units will be priced at $0.10 and each full share purchase warrant may be exercised to acquire another share at $0.12 each at any time within 30 months ...." http://www.marketwatch.com/story/kwg-2-million-placement-to-assist-united-way-of-thunder-bay-wasaya-groupwasaya-wee-cheeway-win-inc-in-the-founding-of-cromarty-hs-residences-2011-12-21-91340 "Efforts are underway to make the goal of having a residence for students at the Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School happen. KWG Resources Inc. advises that it is working with the United Way of Thunder Bay to facilitate donations of up to $2 million for the founding by Wasaya Group of residences for students ...." http://netnewsledger.com/2011/12/21/kwg-and-wasaya-grouphelping-to-fund-dfc-high-school-residence/ Thunder Bay State of the City Address 2011: ".... Thunder Bay is also on its way to becoming a regional and global servicing centre for the mining industry. There are over 1200 people already employed in the mining field in Thunder Bay, with over 80 exploration companies and 300 projects underway in the region. Thunder Bay has seven engineering firms with more than 300 people specifically working on mining projects in the area and those numbers, like other services, are expected to grow in the coming years. The Community Economic Development Commission appointed John Mason as its new Project Manager of Mining Services, and he is committed to maximizing Thunder Bay’s potential for the mining industry. From face-to-face meetings with companies looking to set up shop here, to lobbying the provincial and federal government to help with funding, we are

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making sure that we are positioned as a regional mining service centre. As part of a broader mining strategy, the city has also formed an alliance with Fort William First Nation to pursue extraordinary opportunities that exist with the Ring of Fire .... " http://netnewsledger.com/2011/12/20/mayor-keith-hobbs-city-of-thunder-bay-state-of-the-city-address/ "When Greenstone Economic Development Corporation executive director Dina Quenneville wanted to show community and business leaders how their area can be transformed by mining, she took them on a road trip to the Red Lake gold camp. Mine expansion at Goldcorp has attracted an army of contractors and new businesses along McNeely Road in Balmertown, which has become mining suppliers' row. With available space at a premium in Red Lake, the Greenstone group saw that the influx of new industry players has spurred development of a business park and a retail-commercial subdivision. “This community (Greenstone) used to do this many years ago,” said Quenneville, alluding to the gold producton in the Geraldton- Beardmore camp that petered out in the late 1960s, early 1970s. Quenneville has the job to get key Greenstone companies, investors and politicians turned on to the wide-ranging economic spinoff opportinities in mining. Mineral development in the Far North Ring of Fire would attract a slew of builders, developers and suppliers to Greenstone if the James Bay lowlands open up .... One of Greenstone's smallest communities, Nakina, is being proposed by Cliffs Natural Resources and KWG Resources as a major transload for chromite ore that will come south by rail or truck from deposits in the Ring of Fire. Nakina sprang out of the bush in the 1920s as a railroad repair and refuelling stop along the Canadian National Railway's (CN) main line. Although CN's local presence is reduced to historic relics of that era, rail may be a saviour again to the isolated community of 500 at the north end of Highway 584. KWG has staked a proposed 350-kilometre long railway corridor that snakes south over the glacial sand banks to connect with CN at Exton, three kilometres west of Nakina. But Greenstone isn't satisfied with merely being a logistics hub; local officials are lobbying Cliffs to locate its highly-prized ferrochrome processor, and 400-plus jobs, at Exton. On a bush lot, across the CN tracks from Nakina Forest Products, is the site that Greenstone is showcasing for the electric arc furnaces. In competing for the refinery against Sudbury and Thunder Bay, each represented by powerful Ontario cabinet ministers, Greenstone isn't pleading poor sister status. The municipality has hired technicial consultants and enlisted a former provincial energy minister, George Smitherman, to make its sales pitch to Cliffs and to stickhandle through any issues at Queen's Park. Greenstone has also forged strong relations with nearby Aroland First Nation and the Matawa First Nations in the Ring who stand to benefit from the massive multi-billion-dollar mining, transportation and processing project. “We're not aiming for second place,” said Jay Daiter, a Greenstone councillor who represents Nakina. “Our target is set on the ferrochrome processing piece.” Cliffs is currently in a pre-feasibility study of its Black Thor chromite deposit at McFaulds Lake. The tight-lipped Ohio miner is expected to name the location of the processor when it launches into the feasibility stage sometime early this year .... The municipality, economic development corporation and their consultants have launched into a business planning exercise to determine what industry's future infrastructure, housing, labour and training needs will be. Nakina's tiny airport is already bustling with activity. Its newly repaved 3,500-foot runway has become a jumping off point for supply and fuel hops into the exploration camps. Business expansion is planned for there too. “We're getting very close to that level of readiness,” said Daiter. “There's already increased demands on our airport where there isn't the available space on the tarmac to store the materials going north. “We have companies saying they need storage space and we need to identify where they can set up shop in Nakina as the staging area.” Greenstone is preparing for a variety of growth scenarios depending upon what Cliffs and the other Ring of Fire miners decide to do. “We have a multitude of deals on the table hinging on announcements,” said Quenneville. “We're right on the cusp,” said Daiter, with developers, aviation carriers, fuel suppliers, all waiting on standby for Cliffs' decision on the refinery site location. “We're ready to rumble if Cliffs decides they want

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16 Dec 11

to set up here.” http://www.northernontariobusiness.com/Industry-News/mining/Greenstone-contends-for-chromiteprocessor.aspx "Noront Resources Ltd. (TSX-V:NOT) (the "Company" or "Noront") is pleased to announce the completion of the private placement financing originally announced on November 29, 2011. Noront has issued 4,073,800 total flow-through common shares ("Flow-Through Shares") at a price of $0.86 per Flow-Through Share for gross proceeds of $3,503,468 (the "Offering"). Dundee Securities Ltd., acted as lead agent on behalf of a syndicate including Raymond James Ltd. (the "Agents"). In connection with the Offering, the Agents received a cash commission equal to 5.0% of the gross proceeds raised under the Offering. All securities issued will be subject to a four month hold period under Canadian securities laws. The gross proceeds from the sale of the Flow-Through Shares will be used for Canadian Exploration Expenses ("CEE"), with the Company to use best efforts to qualify such CEE as "flow-through mining expenditures", to fund ongoing exploration activities on the Company's McFauld's Lake project. Such CEE will be renounced in favour of the subscribers of the Flow-Through Shares effective on or before December 31, 2011 ...." http://www.stockhouse.com/News/CanadianReleasesDetail.aspx?n=8388614 "The Grand Chief of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation says the crisis in Attawapiskat is a wake-up call for other First Nations. Stan Beardy said the fact that people there are living in such dire conditions with a diamond mine next door is causing chiefs to rethink the potential benefits of new mines in northern Ontario. “That is what's missing and the end result is, what we're trying to deal with today, people [are] living in tent frames and shacks,” Beardy said. “That's not fair and that's what we're trying to address.” Beardy said it's also unfair that a critical housing shortage in Attawapiskat resulted in a government crackdown on the community's finances, instead of immediate aid." http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/story/2011/12/16/tby-beardy-onattawapiskat.html “Municipal leaders are trying to convince Cliffs Natural Resources to locate its chromite smelter to Greenstone admit the company seems to be sticking to its existing plan to build the facility near Sudbury where it can plug into established power sources. “They seem committed to their (Sudbury) base case and don’t seem to be dissuaded by anything else yet,” Municipality of Greenstone chief administrator Roy Sinclair said Thursday. Sinclair was among an estimated 700 people who were in attendance Tuesday when Cliffs held an open house in Geraldson about its Ring of Fire project – the second such event the company has staged this fall. Greenstone, along with Aroland First Nation, have argued that the 300- to 350-megawatt processor should be located near Aroland in Exton …. Sinclair said his sense after the Thursday open house is that Cliffs has not budged from its Sudbury plan. “They are sticking to their bottom line, but politically (the processor) can’t go anywhere but Exton,” he said, noting the influence of First Nation interests who also want the chromite ore to be processed in Northwestern Ontario. “For whatever reason, I don’t think Cliffs is getting that they must take into account First Nation authority,” said Sinclair …. Cliffs Ferroalloys division vicepresident Bill Boor travelled to Wahnapitae First Nation in October to meet with band officials, but the community says it hasn’t heard from the company since. “They referred us to the CEAA …. but at this point we can’t say we have a relationship with the company,“ Wahnapitae First Nation sustainable development director Peter Recollet said Thursday from the community of about 90 residents just north of Sudbury. Recollet said the band plans to participate in the environmental assessment process and will ultimately seek an impact benefit agreement with Cliffs if the company chooses to locate the processor at its proposed location, a former mine site about 20 kilometres northwest of the reserve …. Sinclair said he’s “guessing” that Cliffs might announce a final processor site by the end of January.” http://ringoffirenews.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/cliffs-smelter-greenstone-arolandwahnapitae-cj-16dec11.pdf or http://bit.ly/sGbTAt

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15 Dec 11

".... politicians in North Bay and Sault Ste. Marie say the province has since designated Sudbury and Thunder Bay special regional planning areas, providing them with funds to develop economic plans. Suddenly, some cities are more equal than others. Officials in North Bay -- which bills itself as "just north enough to be perfect" -- want more say over their own development, which they'll get if they have more money to develop their own regional plans. This is a common refrain in the North, where it's felt that too often, key decisions about the region's future are made in Toronto. A spokesperson for Northern Development and Mines Minister Rick Bartolucci said in an e-mail the objective is to evaluate the approach in Sudbury and Thunder Bay "before proceeding with long-term implementation." It's hoped that the lessons learned will allow Bartolucci's ministry more flexibility when extending regional initiatives to the smaller cities. Still, other issues are fomenting rivalries. Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Timmins and the community of Greenstone are in the running for a chromite smelter to be built by Cliffs Natural Resources to process material from the Ring of Fire deposit. Some think the province has allowed the selection process to drag on too long, increasing tension among the municipalities ...." http://www.lfpress.com/comment/2011/12/15/19126656.html "The community of Greenstone is learning more about a processing facility for Ring of Fire development. Nearly 500 people participated in a recent information session with Cliff's Natural Resources, which is looking for a place to process the massive chromite deposit. Mayor Ron Beaulieu said the positive response shows just how much support there is. “From the beginning it seemed like there was quite the interest from our people in the area, which is normal because we need these kinds of projects in the community of Greenstone and in all of Northwestern Ontario,” he said. “So it’s definitely a positive response from the people here right now.” Sudbury has been named as the base case for the facility, and Thunder Bay is also being considered. A decision isn't expected in the near future." http://www.tbnewswatch.com/news/179365/Hundreds-attend-Greenstone-Ring-of-Fireinformation-session "Attempts to contact Hill & Knowlton (yes, THAT Hill & Knowlton) have been met with zero response. H&K are the lobbying consultants for Cliffs, and as yet have not provided a statement on behalf of Cliffs Natural Resources for this story. What we do know is that there are more questions than answers to this complex issue. Jobs are important, and the northern economy is important, but it would appear that the Ontario government is hiding behind bureaucratic processes that advance little but the interests of a U.S. mining company. There are also outstanding environmental issues and concerns and those seem to be linked to the lack of public consultation. The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency has said the project requires federal permits for its potential impact on fish and navigable waterways, and that this has automatically triggered a federal environmental assessment, but many remain sceptical about the transparency of the assessment. Without a public hearing that many local communities -- including First Nations -- might attend to express their opinions, it seems fairly clear that it's business as usual. That may be good for some, but not so much for Ontarians looking for work in the north .... Attempts to contact Hill & Knowlton (yes, THAT Hill & Knowlton) have been met with zero response. H&K are the lobbying consultants for Cliffs, and as yet have not provided a statement on behalf of Cliffs Natural Resources for this story. What we do know is that there are more questions than answers to this complex issue. Jobs are important, and the northern economy is important, but it would appear that the Ontario government is hiding behind bureaucratic processes that advance little but the interests of a U.S. mining company. There are also outstanding environmental issues and concerns and those seem to be linked to the lack of public consultation. The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency has said the project requires federal permits for its potential impact on fish and navigable waterways, and that this has automatically triggered a federal environmental assessment, but many remain sceptical about the transparency of the assessment. Without a public hearing that many local communities -- including First Nations -- might attend

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14 Dec 11

13 Dec 11

to express their opinions, it seems fairly clear that it's business as usual. That may be good for some, but not so much for Ontarians looking for work in the north." http://rabble.ca/news/2011/12/hitting-chromite-jackpot-may-not-benefit-ontarians "The federal government is cutting a unique program that helped northern Ontario First Nations monitor fish stocks. The Aboriginal Inland Habitat Program — a program that helped First Nations study the health of fish stocks near their communities — is being eliminated at the end of March, 2012. Miriam Fleming, who’s in charge of a research centre for First Nations on Ontario's James Bay coast, said fish are more than wildlife in northern communities — they're an essential part of the diet. Fleming said First Nations need scientific research to find out whether the fish are healthy, and keep them that way. “That’s connected to the survival of the people such as in Attawapiskat,” she said. “It's a housing crisis now, are we going to get into a food security crisis as well?” Fleming's project with the Mushkegowuk Environmental Research Centre is being cut off mid-stream. Another Ontario program set up to establish the health of fish in communities near the Ring of Fire mineral development, in the James Bay lowlands, is ending after only a few months in operation. The recent mining boom makes the research especially timely, said research proponents .... A spokesperson for the federal department said First Nations involvement in habitat issues will be integrated into its regular business." http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/story/2011/12/15/tby-fish-program-cut.html "Timmins is still in the competition, but is clearly a long-shot. City residents on Monday night got a chance to view the production plans for Cliffs Natural Resources. Cliffs is the Cleveland-based company developing a chromite mine in an area of the James Bay lowlands, commonly known as the Ring of Fire. Timmins has been vying to be the site for a ferrochrome production facility connected with the chromite mine. However, Capreol has already been identified by Cliffs as the preferred site. Timmins is one of the three communities as a potential alternative -- Thunder Bay and Greenstone being the other two. However, Dean Rogers, president of the Porcupine Prospectors and Developers Association, doesn't think Timmins would move to the front of the line if, for whatever reason, Capreol was dropped from consideration. "It's partly a political decision I would guess," said Rogers. "With two of the Liberal ministers sitting in both Thunder Bay and Sudbury area, it's kind of hard to go against the fact one of those may be the chosen area for its location -- if it's located in this province at all." Rogers, who was among the citizens who attended the open house, said energy prices will be a determining factor in whether a ferrochrome production facility in Ontario is even financially feasible. "In order to produce this chromite, they would need hydro rates subsidized for this operation or it may not fly anywhere in this province," he said. The alternative for Cliffs would be to ship the chromite concentrate out of province or even out of the country. Cliffs has made no secret of the fact it would seek an exemption from the Ontario Mining Act to ship the concentrate to Asia for processing ...." http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3404296 "The federal government has a role to play to make sure the Ring of Fire is developed and that it creates jobs in the North, says FedNor Minister Tony Clement. But, if those jobs are to remain in Ontario, Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty and his government will have to do something about electricity rates, said Clement. Clement has struck a committee to stay up to date with developments in the massive chromite deposits, to make sure the economic potential of the area is maximized. But Clement said Monday that while he favours processing jobs remaining in Northern Ontario, the high cost of electricity could be a problem. "(That) is firmly in the hands of (Premier) Dalton McGuinty and the Liberal government, so they've got to step up," said Clement, He was in Sudbury to announce funding for several initiatives in the city, including up to $11 million for a biosolids waste management plant. The federal government has become "much more aware and integrated into the development of the Ring of Fire as it goes forward," he said. A group of federal officials is remaining in close touch with the province about the development. The federal government is involved in a number of "regulatory hurdles" and with respect to "dialogue with First Nations" about

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12 Dec 11

development of the deposits. Clement said the federal committee was struck after he noticed "about a year ago that we should be more co-ordinated in this area." That was the word he was hearing from business people in Sudbury and Thunder Bay, he said. "I see this as one of the biggest things that's going to happen in Northern Ontario for one, two generations perhaps. so we have to make sure we maximize the positive impacts of it," he said. While the proper environmental precautions must be taken, "at the same time, let's not create a more complicated structure than needs to exist," said Clement. Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci, Ontario's minister of Northern Development and Mines, has also vowed to streamline the approvals process provincially to expedite development of the Ring of Fire. And while the federal government "wants to be part of the solution ... energy pricing, that's Mr. McGuinty's bailiwick," said Clement ...." http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3402776 "The mayor of Greenstone said the province needs to step in and help Cliffs Natural Resources make a decision to locate its chromite smelter in the Northwest. Renald Beaulieu said it's clear that the communities closest to the mining activity in the mineral rich area in the James Bay Lowlands, known as the Ring of Fire, should see the most benefits. "I think we shouldn't be lacking — and I'm going to say the word — a little backbone, in helping them make that decision," Beaulieu said Monday on the eve of the company holding an open house in his municipality. Similar presentations have been held recently in Thunder Bay, Sudbury and Timmins. So far Cliffs has made Sudbury its chosen location for the smelter in its base case for an environmental assessment. Officials from Greenstone have already presented a case at Queen's Park to have the smelter located within their muncipality at Exton Siding, between Aroland First Nation and Nakina. Last month, the delegation met with company offiicals at their head office in Cleveland, Ohio, where they said Greenstone would be able to to supply a source of labour and electricity to the Exton site, which is adjacent to the railway. The proposed project involves a mine site and an ore processing facility, a ferrochrome production facility and an integrated transportation system that will be used to move equipment, materials and people to and from the mine site. Cliffs plans to start mining chromite in the Ring of Fire area by the end of 2013. Aroland Chief Sonny Gagnon said Cliffs needs to come to his community to give residents a greater understanding of both the potential downside of the project, as well as the benefits under proposals to transfer ore from company trucks to trains on First Nations' traditional territory. "Along with the good, there's the bad side of things that development does, so we need to understand it. We really need to get our elders and youth to understand here's what's going to be happening," he said Monday. Gagnon said an enhanced environmental assessment would bring public hearings to his community, but so far the government is sticking with a paper-based assessment of Cliffs plans." http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/story/2011/12/13/greenstone-cliffs-beaulieu.html "Cliffs Natural Resources will hold an open house in Timmins Monday to discuss a possible chromite smelter in the city. The meeting is part of an environmental assessment that Cliffs has already conducted in Sudbury and Thunder Bay. The company wants to process raw materials from the mineral rich area in the James Bay Lowlands, known as the Ring of Fire. Timmins Mayor Tom Laughren said he isn't sure what will be discussed at the open house. "You know Timmins is a mining community … to have a processing plant such as that in our community, I think, would be overall well received,” he said. He said he hasn't heard any concerns from people in Timmins about the potential smelter so far. The open house will take place between 4-8 pm at the McIntyre Arena. According to a press release issued by the Timmins Economic Development Commission, this is an opportunity to learn more about the Cliffs project, and “to demonstrate that we are the community that deserves the Ferrochrome Processing Facility.” ...." http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/story/2011/12/12/sby-timmins-cliffs-meeting.html "Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. (Cliffs) recently initiated an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Cliffs Chromite Project. This

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11 Dec 11

10 Dec 11

proposed Project includes the following components: a Mine Site, including an Ore Processing Facility; a Ferrochrome Production Facility (FPF); and an integrated Transportation System that will be used to move equipment, materials and people to and from the Mine Site Cliffs wants to provide you with information about the Project and hear what you think. To do so, they have scheduled an Open House to be held in the following community: Timmins: Monday, December 12, 2011 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. McIntyre Ballroom 85 McIntyre Road Schumacher, ON, P0N 1G0 This is our chance to learn about the Ring of Fire project from Cliffs and to demonstrate that we are the community that deserves the Ferrochrome Processing Facility. Cliffs and its Project consultants will be present at the Open Houses to answer your questions and hear what you have to say. They look forward to meeting you ...." http://www.timminsedc.com/en/newsroom/CliffsOpenHouseTimmins.asp "If a tight budget won't allow the feds to add more money to FedNor, then Northern mayors want Ottawa to adjust how it doles out the cash. The economic development program for Northern Ontario offers one-time, one-year funding, but that may not suit larger multi-year ventures, especially infrastructure projects, said North Bay Mayor Al McDonald during an interview on the weekend. "If we can get that small adjustment made, that would help municipalities control their destiny," he said. McDonald and the city's CEO Dave Linkie were among the Northern representatives including Nipissing-Timiskaming MP Jay Aspin to accept an invitation to meet with FedNor Minister Tony Clement on Thursday to hash out priorities for Northern Ontario. FedNor's budget is about $34 million for the year, compared to the $100-million Northern Ontario Heritage Fund, yet the two programs are linked in a way that makes it easier to access federal money if the provincial dollars are already committed. Northern mayors want to uncouple the programs to make it easier to access FedNor money when Heritage funding isn't in place. The lines become blurry when some issues reach into provincial and federal jurisdictions, McDonald said, The Ring of Fire chromite find in the James Bay area was also on the table, with a push to prevent the resource from being shipped out of the province for processing at the expense of Northern jobs, but that's also a provincial responsibility, McDonald said. /He said North Bay engineers and other services benefit from mining ventures in the region, and the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission could provide rail service to James Bay ...." http://www.nugget.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3401086 "Noront Resources Ltd. is working on the environmental assessment process for its base-metal mining project in the Ring of Fire mining district. The company released its draft terms of reference for the Eagle’s Nest Mine project last week and is seeking public input on its plans. The draft terms of reference have been prepared by Noront in compliance with Ontario Ministry of the Environment requirements. The document is available for review by the public, and copies can be downloaded at www.norontresources.com, or www.eaglesnestmine.com. The federal government’s environmental assessment process for the project is also moving along, and the draft environmental impact statement guidelines for the Eagle’s Nest Mine Project have also been released for public review. A copy of those guidelines can be downloaded from CEAA’s website at www.ceaa.gc.ca, www.norontresources.com, or www.eaglesnestmine.com. These two reports signal the beginning of the public engagement in the regulated processes for the federal and provincial government reviews of the project. Noront has produced project reports and summary documents (including copies in Oji-Cree) to the general public and the local First Nation communities. Noront CEO

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7 Dec 11

Wes Hanson said in a news release that “this is an important first step in the project development and permitting for the Eagle’s Nest Mine ...." http://www.chroniclejournal.com/content/news/local/2011/12/10/environmental-assessment-process-continuesmining-project ".... It's rather ironic that the supposedly "conservative mining industry" is consulting and making various agreements that ensure aboriginal communities get maximum benefits from mineral development of their traditional territories and that adhere to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples commitment to "prior and informed consent." Conversely, the Liberal-left McGuinty government and its environmental allies force unwanted parks on First Nations communities with a condescending colonial mindset from the past century. Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Grand Chief Stan Beardy - who represents 49 northern Ontario First Nations - has repeatedly stated that the Far North Act will stop his impoverished membership "from achieving economic independence by preventing development needed to build a viable economic base for NAN communities, while strengthening the Ontario economy." If southern Ontario's political and media elites as well as the general public are truly concerned about the impoverished living conditions, high teenage suicide rates, and hopelessness in the North's aboriginal communities than the Far North Act must be significantly changed to allow mineral exploration and sustainable mine development to flourish. This is the only way to both alleviate native poverty and give hope to the growing numbers of aboriginal youth ...." http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/North+mischief/5822467/story.html "Some Manitoba chiefs called for “action” against existing oil pipelines on a day of heated words at a special chiefs assembly in Ottawa that heard from embattled Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence and saw an impromptu march to the doors of Parliament Hill that ended with police intervention. Terry Nelson, who is no longer officially chief of Roseau River, told the assembled chiefs that the only way to escape from Attawapiskat-like situations was to seize a portion of the resource wealth flowing from their lands. Nelson, who was given the microphone by Waywayseecappo First Nation Chief Murray Clearsky, said there were plans to launch actions against existing oil pipelines in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, along with several U.S. states. He said the only way First Nations can deal with the nagging funding problems plaguing their communities was to seize a share of the resources flowing from their territories .... The ongoing crisis in Attawapiskat seems to have galvanized some of the delegates, triggering a call from one chief to block the airstrip used to deliver supplies to the De Beers diamond mine, which is about 90 kilometres west of the community. Spence, who is battling Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan over his decision to impose a third-party manager to handle the band’s finances, told the assembly it was time to take a stronger stand against the federal government. Chiefs passed a resolution calling on Duncan to reverse his decision to impose a third-party manager on Attawapiskat and instead work with the existing chief and council to find a solution to the housing crisis that has seen families living in shacks with no running water and using the bathroom in pails. The resolution also called on the AFN to ask the UN to appoint a special agent to monitor Canada’s response to the housing and infrastructure woes on First Nations and “hold Canada” to its responsibility under treaties and international covenants. The resolution also calls on the AFN to back Attawapiskat’s chief and council. “It is time to be really aggressive toward the government. We have been talking about our concerns. They are not listening, they just keep plugging their ears,” said Spence. The Attawapiskat chief also urged chiefs to get a plan in place for their upcoming Jan. 24 meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper. “We should have a plan in place, even an agreement with a time frame and if they don’t want to meet this time-frame, we need to do an action. Our grandfathers did action, they demonstrated courage and we need to do this for our youth, we need to build up their future,” she said. The talk in response to Spence’s speech featured strong words from chiefs. Six Nations Chief Bill Montour suggested blocking the airstrip De Beers uses to fly in

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6 Dec 11

its supplies and Mohawk Elder Billy Two Rivers said First Nations should take corporations “hostage” until they get their share of resource wealth ...." http://aptn.ca/pages/news/2011/12/07/chiefs-rally-around-attawapiskat-as-call-issued-for-oil-pipelineblockade-in-three-provinces/ Janet Sumner, executive director and Anna Baggio, conservation land use planning director, CPAWS-Wildlands League, oped,"Like many other Canadians, we’ve been searching our souls in response to the housing crisis in Attawapiskat, home to the Muskego Cree First Nation. We have visited Attawapiskat several times. We’ve stayed at the Kataquapit Inn and enjoyed the community’s hospitality, including a traditional feast of caribou and lake sturgeon. Our work to conserve Ontario’s northern boreal forest has been enriched by the insights of the elders and other members of the community. That is why the people of Attawapiskat are very much in our hearts today. While a donation to the Red Cross is always a good idea, we believe Canada needs to do far more to fix the problems bedevilling Attawapiskat and many other northern First Nations communities. It’s time for a fundamental rethink of the relationship between major industrial players in the north, our governments and affected First Nations communities. We first became involved with Attawapiskat when the environmental assessment of the nearby De Beers Victor Diamond Mine was underway nearly seven years ago. As conservationists, our concern was that the federal and provincial governments were not adequately assessing the cumulative environmental and social effects of this proposed mine in a very sensitive landscape. We raised concerns about the mine’s impacts on water quality and wildlife such as boreal woodland caribou. We also criticized the company’s offer of guaranteeing only 12 per cent of the mine’s jobs to the nearest community, Attawapiskat. In our view this was not nearly enough to enable the community to improve its dire economic circumstances. It was also very apparent to us that local First Nation communities had neither the time nor the capacity to plan for the massive changes to their traditional land use areas and communities that the Victor Mine and other such developments would bring. Although the provincial government had committed to undertake comprehensive land-use planning in advance of industrial development in this region, it had no policy in place to achieve this commitment, and offered scant resources to First Nations to engage in negotiations with sophisticated corporations such as De Beers. In spite of our objections, the mine was approved and is now in operation. Life has clearly not improved for the citizens of Attawapiskat. We’ve continued our connection with the community by providing it with scientific information about the potential effects of the mine on mercury levels in lakes and rivers, boreal woodland caribou populations and the formation of sinkholes. But that does not fix the tremendous social and economic problems the community is facing. Meanwhile, many more industrial developments are looming for Ontario’s north. Next up are megamines being proposed to extract valuable minerals in the Ring of Fire upstream from Attawapiskat. Here are some essential elements that should be part of responsible planning for the future of the north: • Indigenous people must have the right to remain in their traditional territories. They are vital stewards of the land they have lived on for thousands of years. Although it may make life easier for resource companies to ramp up extraction of resources in what were once inaccessible areas, away entirely from watchful eyes, depopulating the north is not in the public interest. • It’s time to ask hard questions about how communities are benefitting from mining and other industrial developments in their traditional territories. Recently, Grand Chief Stan Louttit of Mushkegowuk Council expressed great concern about impact benefit agreements that are signed between companies and First Nations. We agree. The agreements as tools should be evaluated and must be made transparent so all community members can be fully informed before making decisions ...." http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/1098714--rethinking-thefuture-of-ontario-s-north "Numerous First Nation Communities are working to bring transmission line connectivity and green energy development to remote

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First Nation communities currently operating on expensive diesel generators in Northwestern Ontario. Wataynikaneyap Power is being formed as a First Nation led company to design, permit, construct, own and operate a 230 kV transmission line to bring additional grid connection to Pickle Lake. The Company is proposing a two-phase planning and permitting process to bring connectivity to the remote First Nations. The first phase would reinforce the grid at Pickle Lake and the second phase would extend the grid north of Pickle Lake to service the remote communities. Significant pre-development work has been completed, including a routing study for the new line to Pickle Lake (Phase 1). The Team engaged a transmission Consultant to evaluate five potential route options to connect to Pickle Lake. A preferred route has been identified and further studies will take place over the coming months. Community consultations and the commencement of an Environmental Assessment is planned in early 2012. The need for this transmission line is supported by the Ministry of Energy as identified in the Long Term Energy Plan, released November 23, 2010 and the Ministry Directive to plan for remote First Nation community connectivity, February 3, 2011. Early engagement and participation of all First Nation Communities will be key to successful development. Each community will have the choice to be an equal owner in Wataynikaneyap Power. Reliable power in the region is a direct benefit for all, while allowing those communities with renewable energy projects to sell their clean power to the provincial grid, further supporting regional economic development. The opportunity to turn off the diesel generators used in the region will result in a meaningful reduction of greenhouse gas generation while allowing First Nations significantly more power capacity to enable community development projects ...." http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/890803/first-nations-to-develop-new-power-line-to-replace-diesels or http://netnewsledger.com/2011/12/06/wataynikaneyap-power-is-being-formed-as-a-first-nation-led-company "Cliffs Natural Resources' pledge to seek an exemption from the Ontario Mining Act to ship chromite concentrate from Ontario's Ring of Fire to Asia for processing has raised the ire of unions and municipalities representing the North. The company claims the raw chromite ore will undergo value-added processing in Ontario where it will be transformed into chromite concentrate, which is then shipped to Asia. However, critics say the ore should either be refined in Ontario or left in the ground. William Brehl, the head of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference Maintenance of Way Employees, said the government risks squandering the economic potential of the Northern Ontario mineral bonanza. "Premier Dalton McGuinty's government has called the Ring of Fire the most promising mining opportunity in Canada in a century," said Brehl. "We urge this minority government to stand tall, protect Ontario jobs and help Northern Ontario's economy by denying the exemption. If you mine it here, then refine it here or go away and leave it in the ground." Twice as large as Prince Edward Island, the Ring of Fire is said to hold one of the world's largest and richest deposits of chromite, the key ingredient in making stainless steel. It is also said to possess nickel, copper, platinum, gold, zinc and magnesium. Northern Development and Mines Minister Rick Bartolucci promised to maximize the number of jobs from the operations, but gave no indication whether it is okay to ship a million tonnes of concentrate out of the country. Timmins Mayor Tom Laughren said if Cliffs gets the green light to ship up to one million tonnes of concentrate overseas, it would be a travesty for Northern Ontario's economy. "There's a huge opportunity for us in Northern Ontario to work with the proponents," said Laughren. Kapuskasing Mayor Alan Spacek had a slightly different take on the situation. "Unfortunately, I think it speaks to the market in Ontario," said Mayor Spacek. "It is lower cost, thus more profitable for the company to ship the chromite to Asia as opposed to doing that here. Having said that, I believe one of the strategies of the industry is to process the product (raw ore) to be shipped. What they do is start at the most lucrative part of the deposit, and ship it out. Instead of having to build a plant, they ship it. The revenue of shipping it will pay for the other expenses" said Mayor Spacek ...." http://www.kapuskasingtimes.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3395303

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5 Dec 11

4 Dec 11

"Less than a month ago, Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas attended an open house in Capreol hosted by Cliffs Natural Resources. The Ohio-based mining company laid out plans for the ferrochrome production facility it may build in Capreol to process ore from its Black Thor chromite deposit in the James Bay coast region known as the Ring of Fire. “It is hard not to get excited when you see that kind of stuff in a room,” Gélinas said. Recently, however, Gélinas has been hearing that Cliffs may seek an exemption to the province's mining act so that it can ship concentrate from the deposit to refineries outside of Canada, most likely to China. “I thought 'hmm, that was certainly not mentioned when I was (at the open house),'” she said. A booklet about the project handed out at the open house does mention that some concentrate may be shipped to foreign refineries. “The project will take advantage of the global market for chromite concentrate,” the booklet said. “Approximately one million tonnes of concentrate could be sold annually to world markets.” For Gélinas, the idea of shipping chromite out of Ontario for processing is out of the question. “These are our natural resources,” she said. “They are there to create wealth for the people of Ontario. They are ours. We own this. To agree to have all of the prosperity that comes with the natural resources of our province shipped to China is a non-starter to us.” ...." http://www.northernlife.ca/news/localNews/2011/12/06-cliffs-chromite-china-sudbury.aspx "@politixgirl (Gina Cosentino) Same question 4 FNs w/ chromite MT @NoLore @Knowledgewalker: any chance diamond folks want #Attawapiskat gone 4 better access to diamonds?" 5 Dec via UberSocial for BlackBerry https://twitter.com/#!/politixgirl/statuses/143887052616908801 "A Toronto-based mining company wants to ensure that 350 children in two remote First Nations near the Ring of Fire mining district have presents for Christmas. Noront Resources Ltd. in co-operation with the North-South Partnership for Children, is running its third annual Ring of Fire Christmas Fund. In the past two years the company has raised over $40,000 and has ensured that every child under age 12, both on- and off-reserve in Marten Falls and Webequie has received a wrapped gift. Funds for the program are raised through donations from Noront, suppliers, investors, employees and friends of the company. Noront uses 100 per cent of the proceeds towards the gifts, wrapping, and transportation of Santa and his gifts; as well as hosting Christmas festivities in both of the First Nation communities. The company said in a news release that it believes in the importance of the development of the youth in both communities and has supported a variety of educational and community programs such as; mining matters, youth camps, student bursaries, role model programs, and community contributions. Last year, Noront also ew in two ex-NHL hockey players into Webequie to run a hockey clinic. Noront hopes to continue to bring athletic leaders, political leaders and Aboriginal role models into the communities of Marten Falls and Webequie to take part in the Noront Ring of Fire Christmas Fund festivities ...." http://www.chroniclejournal.com/content/news/local/2011/12/04/fund-cheerkids-near-ring-fire "Cliffs Natural Resources' pledge to seek an exemption from the Ontario Mining Act to ship chromite concentrate from Ontario's Ring of Fire to Asia for processing has raised the ire of unions and municipalities representing the North. The company claims the raw chromite ore will undergo value-added processing in Ontario where it will be transformed into chromite concentrate, However, critics say the ore should either be refined in Ontario or left in the ground. William Brehl, the head of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference Maintenance of Way Employees, said the government risks squandering the economic potential of the Northern Ontario mineral bonanza. "Premier Dalton McGuinty's government has called the Ring of Fire the most promising mining opportunity in Canada in a century," said Brehl. "We urge his minority government to stand tall, protect Ontario jobs and help Northern Ontario's economy by denying the exemption. If you mine it here, then refine it here or go away and leave it in the ground." Twice as large as Prince Edward Island, the Ring of Fire is said to hold one of the world's largest and richest deposits of

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3 Dec 11

2 Dec 11

chromite, the key ingredient in making stainless steel. It is also said to possess nickel, copper, platinum, gold, zinc and magnesium. Northern Development and Mines Minister Rick Bartolucci promised to maximize the number of jobs from the operations, but gave no indication whether it is OK to ship a million tonnes of concentrate out of the country. Timmins Mayor Tom Laughren said if Cliffs gets the green light to ship up to one million tonnes of concentrate overseas, it would be a travesty for Northern Ontario's economy. Laughren said he appreciates some of the challenges of refining the chromite in the province, but said he is going to urge Queen's Park to make some concessions to encourage Cliffs to refine in Northern Ontario. "There's a huge opportunity for us in Northern Ontario to work with the proponents," said Laughren. "We should be looking at the whole gamut of our options." ...." http://www.thedailypress.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3393133 Op-ed attributed to NAN Grand Chief Stan Beardy: ".... The core elements of every land use plan are subject to a provincial veto which is in complete denial of a standard that is being recognized internationally, that is, the right for First Nations to provide free, prior and informed consent. Canada and Ontario still have yet to catch up to this standard. The minister tried to justify the act based on First Nation participation in the LUP process. What the minister failed to mention was that First Nations are participating under duress. First Nations have been keenly interested in LUP for many years; they just never wanted the Far North Act. Tying funds to the act leaves First Nations with few alternatives; it is not a sign of acquiescence. In the recent Speech from the Throne, the government spoke of its plans to develop “good, leading-edge northern jobs.” While the government moves to make this vision a reality (which is without a doubt, a vision shared by First Nations), the question that remains is how First Nation opposition to the Far North Act might factor in. Does it matter? First Nations have responded to this question with a resounding, “yes it does.” Thus far, the government has taken the “elephant-in-the-room” approach where they seem to be thinking that if it is ignored, it might go away. Potential investors willing to put in the resources to create jobs are aware of the financial, operational, reputational and even legal risk of a tainted environment. Ultimately, it affects the very vision created by government and sadly, it stifles economic growth. First Nations do not see this as a positive approach moving forward. They want to close the socioeconomic gap between First Nations and non-First Nations in Ontario. Imposing an unwanted act will not lead us towards this end." http://www.chroniclejournal.com/editorial/daily_editorial/2011-12-03/elephant-room-first-nations-perspective-far-north-act "The threat of taking its concentrate to Asia for processing will be legally difficult for Cliffs Natural Resources and may, in the end, prove only to be a negotiating ploy, mining analysts say. Cliffs Natural Resources has announced plans to ship chromite concentrate from the Ring of Fire area in Northern Ontario to international markets, primarily China, to capitalize on the growing smelting capacity and booming demand for strategic metals in Asia. Although still planning to build a smelter somewhere in Ontario -- possibly in Sudbury -- company officials have said demand from Chinese smelters will drive volumes for the concentrate, making its export economically viable. Standing in the way of this plan is the Ontario Mining Act, which requires that ore produced in the region must be processed in the region -- though the province and Cliffs appear to differ on how processing is defined. While the company has taken the position concentrate is a processed, value-added and established commodity in world markets, a ministry of Northern Development and Mines official told The Star last week any company wishing to send concentrate to a refinery outside of Canada would need an exemption from the Act to do so. Cliffs has not applied for an exemption, Laura Blondeau, a ministry spokesperson, wrote in an email. "And it would be up to the company to argue they need one." There are no precedents for processing concentrate of strategic metals out of the country, a mining analyst says. Even Xstrata Nickel, which smelts product in Sudbury but refines it in Norway, needed an exemption decades ago to do so, said Stan Sudol, a Sudburian who runs a mining blog in Toronto ( www.republicofmining.ca). Indeed, historically, Northern Ontario, and Sudbury in

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particular, have been destinations of choice for such operations, but the province's business climate appears to be changing that. Sudol has long advocated for the province to improve infrastructure in strategic northern locations to expedite both mine development and new exploration. "Ontario needs to help build the necessary key transportation routes to develop the North's enormous and strategic mineral potential," he said. "These include a railway to the Ring of Fire mining camp and all-weather highways to replace winter ice roads to isolated aboriginal communities. The first priorities should be regions with high mineral potential. The resulting economic spinoffs throughout the entire province and increased tax revenues will more than justify these public investments." The known Ring of Fire deposit is twice as large as Prince Edward Island and is said to hold one of the world's largest and richest deposits of chromite, as well as nickel, copper, platinum, gold, zinc and magnesium. But there is very likely more underground in remote northwestern Ontario than anyone yet knows, he said, and only improved transportation links -such as a railway out of the Ring of Fire deposit -- will spur investment there, Sudol said ...." http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3391440 "Noront Resources Ltd. ("Noront" or the "Company") (TSX Venture: NOT) has released the Notice of Commencement of Terms of Reference. Noront is continuing with its work for the Environmental Assessment for the Eagle's Nest Mine Project in northwest Ontario. Since 2009, Environmental Baseline studies have been conducted around the mineral deposit, at infrastructure sites, and along the access corridor. Noront has also been advancing the engineering of the mine and infrastructure since 2009, incorporating means to protect the environment and support sustainable development. Draft Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Eagle's Nest Mine project have been prepared by Noront in compliance with Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE) requirements. The draft TOR is available for review by the public, and copies can be down loaded at www.norontresources.com or www.eaglesnestmine.com The Federal government's Environmental Assessment process has advanced and a draft Environmental Impact Statement Guidelines for the Eagle's Nest Mine Project has also been released for public review. A copy of the Draft Eagles Nest Environmental Impact Guidelines can be downloaded from CEAA's website www.ceaa.gc.ca, www.norontresources.com or www.eaglesnestmine.com. These two Notices begin the public involvement in the regulated processes for the Federal and Provincial government reviews of the project. These articles are available for public review on our website and additional project information is provided at www.eaglesnestmine.com. Noront has produced project reports and summary documents (including copies in Oji-Cree) to the general public and the local First Nation communities. Noront is committed to providing all relevant project information through public documents, open houses, websites, and community meetings through the consultation program. Additional information or clarifications can also be requested via email at [email protected] .... " http://www.mineweb.com/mineweb/view/mineweb/en/page674?oid=140965&sn=Detail&pid=102055 15 Nov 11: Comprehensive Study List: http://www.ceaa.gc.ca/050/information-eng.cfm?commencement=44668 Major Projects Management Office Tracker: http://www2.mpmo-bggp.gc.ca/MPTracker/projectsummary-resumedeprojet.aspx?pid=191 Registry Internet Site: http://www.ceaa.gc.ca/050/documents-eng.cfm?evaluation=63925 Eagle’s Nest Project: Public Comments Invited and Federal Funding Available: http://www.ceaa.gc.ca/050/document-eng.cfm?document=53137

1 Dec 11

Column: "Ontario has an unenviable record of shipping natural resources out of the country, where they're used for finished products. The issue has again appeared on the Ontario legislature's radar screen and it could be trouble for the Liberals, since job creation is at the centre of that screen at the moment .... Cliffs says it can only justify the enormous scale of its operations at Black Thor --and the jobs it brings--by producing that much concentrate and selling it. And other mining companies have been

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shipping unfinished products out of the country for years. Xstrata (formerly Falconbridge) mills and smelts nickel in Sudbury, but the material is refined in Norway. And during a year-long strike by United Steelworkers at Vale (formerly Inco) in 2009-10, nickel concentrate from its Sudbury operations was shipped to its refinery in Wales. Can the province expect to put limits on Cliffs' exports? And if it can't, are job prospects being maximized? A Northern Development and Mines spokesman said requests for exemptions to ship unfinished material out of the country have been denied before. Still, to do so in this case might jeopardize jobs at Black Thor itself. NDP Leader Andrea Horwath and MPPs Michael Prue and John Vanthof raised the issue of exporting concentrate to China in the legislature this week. Northern Development and Mines Minister Rick Bartolucci promised to maximize the number of jobs from the operations, but gave no indication whether it's OK to ship a million tonnes of concentrate out of the country. In an e-mail to a QMI Agency newspaper last week, a Cliffs spokesman said the company believes concentrate is sufficiently value-added to export. Cliffs will likely get permission to ship huge amounts of concentrate, but what should be a big win for the Liberal government is going to take a pounding along the way." http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3389751 http://www.lfpress.com/comment/2011/12/01/19044546.html "For the second time this week, NDP leader Andrea Howath was up during Question Period in the Ontario Legislature on the Ring of Fire. The NDP leader is attempting to get Premier Dalton McGuinty to agree that to maximize the benefit to Ontario’s economy, that the Ring of Fire resources be processed in Ontario. “Cliffs Natural Resources says it plans to send chromite concentrate mined in the Ring of Fire to China for processing. That would redirect good-paying jobs, value-added jobs out of northern Ontario. By refusing to answer the question yesterday, the minister suggested that he was okay with it. I want to know if the Premier’s okay with it,” asked Horwath. The Premier responded, “We are going to work with the community, we are going to work with our First Nations, and we’re going to work with folks in the north to make sure we get this right. There is a tremendous opportunity before all of us, and we will work as hard as we can, I say to my honourable colleague, to ensure that we maximize the benefits for the people of Ontario.” The economic firestorm started over comments reported that Cliffs Natural Resources would seek to process the chromite outside of Canada. That is allowed under Ontario legislation. It is an issue that likely will continue to crop up until a decision is made ...." http://netnewsledger.com/2011/12/01/it%E2%80%99s-one-of-the-most-exciting-mining-finds-incanada-in-the-last-100-years-premier-mcguinty/ "Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. (Cliffs) recently initiated an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Cliffs Chromite Project. This proposed Project includes the following components: a Mine Site, including an Ore Processing Facility; a Ferrochrome Production Facility (FPF); and an integrated Transportation System that will be used to move equipment, materials and people to and from the Mine Site. We want to provide you with information about the Project and hear what you think. To do so, we have scheduled an Open House to be held in the following community: Geraldton: Tuesday, December 13, 2011 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Geraldton Community Centre 200 Wardrope Avenue Geraldton, Ontario P0T 1M0 ...." http://www.greenstone.ca/ResidentialLife/GreenstoneNews/tabid/836/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/744/Cliffs-Chromite-Project-

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Open-House.aspx or http://www.greenstone.ca/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=C5cDreZHc7w%3d&tabid=836

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