"To me rail, with preprocessing on site to lower volume and transportation cost, is the final solution."
Right on, Ed. IMHO; There is absolutely no way the ROF will be developed without rail service. Just too much material to be moved in, then out for any other possibility.
That being said, there is no way a railroad will be built over +200km without some sort of supply line to service the construction, and that has to be a winter road, period. No other way of doing it. Once the pertinent authorities announce some sort of agreement on winter access, you can take it to the bank that a permanent supply line is coming, and it won't be a slurry line to Webequie when it comes.
I do find it comical that by end of January, this conversation will seem so immaterial.
Best wishes to all
K