Timmins mayor Tom Laughren: "We know that where it is located, rail is going to be key." Timmins has everything but closeness to the ore. Thunder Bay has to be out of the picture because being almost as distant, it has none of the facilities in place that Timmins has, so Timmins relative to it has to get the nod. Any more distant locations is just talk. Now going back to the above quote, rail is the key because it lowers transportation costs. Nakina is at present the closest rail location. So it is a decision between building in Nakina or transporting to Timmins. Nakina is a more 'Nation Building' location based on need to develop the north. Timmins is more political in nature because of lost jobs at Xstrata facility and thus potential votes. Of course Cliffs, or whom ever, could prefer to extend the rail line from Nakina right to the ore source and build the smelter there. Just my logic on the situation. Ed.