Ken,

I don't know of any scheduled meetings among the MNR, Cliffs and KWG.

However, I have heard from more than one source that there are Ring of Fire companies currently in discussion with the provincial government.

I cannot confirm if these discussions are even happening and if they are, who would be involved in them. If these discussions are actually taking place, my guess would be that Cliffs would be at the table given the smelter and being operator of two deposits. I would assume the other would be Noront since they seem to be advancing their program (see feasibility studies and the like going on over there) and have been quite vocal about the route (east-west versus north-south). One would logically assume that KWG may be there (again if they are happening at all) given their share of the BD, positive relations with FNs, aggregate claims and the railway/road route claims.

Ken, now that you got me thinking...if these discussions are even taking place, I would suggest that the following would be a logical, interdependent and mutually agreeable outcome:

1. KWG surrenders the railway/road route from Nakina up to the ROF for the construction (largely Ontario government funded) of a road first (to build the infrastructure, move people, supplies and service the FNs) and then the railway to ship ore/product. KWG would also surreder the 30+ claims for aggregate to build the road and railway.

2. Ontario government (MNR) relaxes the processing restriction on BD chromite for KWG and Cliffs and Big Daddy gets mined concurrently with Thor...Thor goes to Sudbury for processing and Big Daddy ships direct unprocessed as part of the deal. KWG is in the mining business.

3. Other ROF companies can utilize the infrastructure above and mine their deposits...NOT, BMK, Probe, etc.

4. FNs would of course benefit as a stakeholder in the deal with improvement in their communities and infrastructure, sustainable investment, multiplier effects of a growing economy, education and training, support of local business and services, etc.

5. McGuinty gets re-elected (sorry...not such a happy ending afterall)

Keep Digging