UPDATE 2-Cliffs chromite project halt dims Canada Ring of Fire hopes

By Allison Martell
    June 12 (Reuters) - Cliffs Natural Resources Inc 
said on Wednesday it is "temporarily suspending" work on its
$3.3 billion chromite-mining project in northwestern Ontario,
casting doubt on development hopes for the region's mineral-rich
Ring of Fire. 
    Cliffs blamed the delay on stalled talks with the Ontario
provincial government and on other political and regulatory
problems. But it's far from clear that the company will be able
to revive the project, called Black Thor, given the low iron ore
prices that have put its operations elsewhere under pressure.
    "It's hard to see why Cliffs would undertake a project of
this magnitude when its core business, the source of all of its
cash flow, is withering," said Morningstar analyst Daniel Rohr.
     He said Cliffs would likely not have had the capital to go
ahead with Black Thor even if infrastructure and regulatory
issues had been resolved.
    The Ring of Fire, about 1,500 km (1,000 miles) northwest of
Toronto, is a large cluster of mineral deposits that Canadian
political leaders say could bring economic development to
northern Ontario much as the oil sands have to northern Alberta.
    There are no rail lines, highways or reliable power sources
in the region, and Cliffs' plan for Black Thor includes a $600
million highway that could open the zone to smaller mining
companies such as Noront Resources Ltd that are
developing projects or have claims there. 
    The Ontario government effectively appointed Cliffs to lead
development in the region last year, when it drafted a
non-binding agreement to support the highway. But talks were put
on hold when Kathleen Wynne took over as provincial premier in
January. The government was not immediately able to comment.
    Cleveland-based Cliffs has been battered by weak prices for
iron ore and metallurgical coal, and it has been clear that it
would need government support to build the highway.
    Noront has the highest-profile of a group of junior mining
companies that have interests in the Ring of Fire, including
Probe Mines Ltd and Fancamp Exploration Ltd.
Noront has said in the past that it can pursue other options if
the Cliffs' road falls through.
    Chromite is refined into ferrochrome, used to make stainless
steel, and Cliffs has touted the mineral as a natural next step
for a company with long experience supplying the steel industry.
    But relatively high-cost iron ore producers like Cliffs have
been hit hard by weak demand in recent quarters. At Tuesday's
close, its shares were down 55 percent so far this year.
    Cliffs said its decision resulted from political and
regulatory delays - "unfinished" agreements with the province,
legal challenges from some aboriginal communities and a delayed
environmental assessment - not the tough market.
    Cliffs' shares were up 0.5 percent at $17.59 on the New York
Stock Exchange.