MarlboroDog you stayed up in the night to post this? Hope you are not worried. May I add my point of view:

"As you can see, I have a lot of stray thoughts right now. And I'm not convinced that any of them are correct. There is certainly something going on just under the surface here."

IT is fairly clear to me, just look on Noront's web site under projects, Eagle's Nest ( same under Blackbird) and the image up front showing profile of Eagle's Nest and Blackbird. Shown 1100 meters between them, I guess it is only 500m at the 500 meter depth.
SO a ramp to one would do nicely for both, that is for Noront's resources.

Now to KWG:
They drilled a hole near the border and ventured onto Noront property, now why do so?
There is a supposed continuity between Noront's chromite and KWG's. That hole was probably done to test that assumption, that is why. No results released BUT we have an implication that a ramp plus a tunnel under ground may be viable even to KWG property. Finally NOW, is that not a tell tale sign?

It is academic who contacted whom first ( 'proposal to now complete a trade-off study' for KWG) but I think it is more likely from KWG in their better interest.

( If the proposal came from one of the major parties than it was done with the plan to take out all little fish and this infrastructure would tie it all nicely before hand. I say small chance for now.)

Shared infrastructure lowers cost to both, ie even helps KWG in the environmental department all being underground. Imho, Noront does not need KWG with Eagle's Nest being self sufficient and can stand alone environmentally.
How shared is also academic, how much $s for how much usage. If so then I trust they will come to a equitable understanding.

Hmmm, how wonders never cease to occur?

Perhaps MD having too many thoughts sometimes clouds what is in front of you. While all you stated is viable the above are the most likely possibilities from where I stand.
Hope this connects some dots. Ed.