mir - Thanks for sharing this very informative and timely article! I found especially interesting the following section of that article re: Chinese interest in acquiring partial ownership in Canadian mining companies:

"The Chinese have realised that, instead of just investing in African resources, which have been cheap but also carry political risk, because of the economic crisis, assets in the Americas and Australia are now underpriced too, which makes them especially attractive,” says Ortslan.

He expects that Chinese companies will become increasingly attentive suitors for Canadian listed firms.

Indeed, in late March, Toronto-based iron-ore hopeful Consolidated Thompson Iron Mines announced that Chinese steel producer Wuhan Iron & Steel had agreed to pay $240-million for a 19,9% stake in the company, plus at least 25% of a firm that will be created to operate the company’s new Bloom Lake mine, in Quebec." (emphasis added)

This, plus the Chinese investments in South American and Australian mines over the last several months are further indications that China is on a "shopping spree" to acquire as much ownership as they can in quality mines and mineral deposits. Very encouraging for us Noront investors!