By Ron Mandel

Noront estimates that, together with about $70 million for a road, it would need about $250 million to build a mine that would direct-ship the massive sulphide mineralization. The company would use the cash flow from this operation to build a mill for the disseminated mineralization.

"What it has told us is we need more nickel, obviously," Hamilton says. "We need more massive nickel."

The type of target Noront is looking for is feeder dykes "slamming" into the sill, which is the main intrusive body. The feeder dykes are typically detected using magnetics. Noront says there are a number of further copper-nickel targets within this prospective geology

One scenario for the Blackbird deposits is to mine and ship the chromite ore to China via Vancouver. The other possibility is to produce ferrochrome.

"So our outlook on the development of this belt right now is . . . we have this high-grade nickel-copper," Hamilton says. "We are going to start looking for more. If we can double our resources in nickel and copper, we are going to be very close to being able to support all the infrastructure necessary to start extracting this resource (chromite). But this resource by itself, on a standalone basis, I think it is going to be hard to make it work."

There is a 140-km winter road from Nakina to Marten Falls. To upgrade the road to an all-weather road from Marten Falls to McFauld's Lake would cost $70 million, Noront estimates.

A part of Double Eagle falls within traditional lands of the Marten Falls community. Noront has signed an agreement, under which it pays Marten Falls for drilling and land disturbance in the area.

The Northern Miner's recent visit to Double Eagle included a tour of Marten Falls. The local school was decorated for the occasion with posters welcoming Noront. Clearly, the company is doing its homework in community relations, and the community is interested in the economic possibilities that the Ring of Fire could generate.

In winter, Noront uses an airstrip on the nearby Cooper Lake, and in summer a floatplane. It uses heli-copters to move people and supplies from there to Eagle One. Marten Falls is planning to build an airstrip for year-round use, which should help lower exploration costs.

I tihnk NOT said possibly 3 times the size, NO?

http://www.norontresources.com/News/MediaDetail/146