The CIM luncheon for the IBK sponsored Noront presentation was terrific. It took place in one of the largest presentation/dining rooms at the National Club on Bay Street in Toronto. I inquired about the number of registered attendees: the answer 157. There were probably more with a number registering at the door.

The presentation was a "technical presentation" specifically designed for the mining community. I suspect many of the attendees were mining people although I know there were others including software people (Geosoft), bankers (BMO Nesbitt Burns), and students.

Prior to the luncheon, I spoke briefly with Neil inquiring about the drilling at the Freewest Option. Six (6) holes have been drilled to this point. Things are moving ahead on schedule with sufficient personnel to complete the drilling program. I didn't inquire about assay results knowing that Neil would say "coming shortly". However, numerous conversations during and after the luncheon confirm the "richness" of the Freewest Option and the 100% owned Freewest claims.

I overheard Neil saying that his "recent vacation" was spent on the phone and on the Internet. At one point the Internet went down in his room, so he went to the bar and asked the bartender if he could use the Internet in the bar. The bartender said "Yes ... as long as "you buy a drink." By the sounds of it, Neil had a lot of Bloody Marys.

The head table was pretty impressive: Novak, Nemis, Harvey, Watson (Freewest), William White (IBK), Mike White (IBK), Larry Smith (Vale-Inco), Rick Hudson (CIM), the Noront lawyer, and a couple of other folks.

The Agoracom table was actually just as impressive with QQ_Girl, Bajak1, MDG, Milsy, and myself Snug. Bajak's significant other was a "hanger on" (actually a really nice dude), and Retirerich was hob-nobbing with the rich and famous at another table. There were three BMO folks who somehow snuck into seats at our table. However, we ignored them. :)

The technical presentation was very good. There wasn't a great deal of information, however, to pump up the share price. But then, I don't think that was the intent of this luncheon.

The overall impression I got from the presentation was the very huge and complex nature of the Ring of Fire geology, specifically in the area surrounding Eagle One, but also in the whole of McFaulds including the Freewest Option. In part I think that the "delays" in getting results of any nature but more specifically the Eagle One 43-101 is due to this complexity. But the number of anomalies just in the area of Eagle One are numerous, but their mineralization continues to be poorly understood - because of not of enough drilling (which takes time). It will require time, time, and more time.

The complexity of the geology was illustrated by new 3D graphics of Eagle One presented by Neil. I won't even try to fully describe the graphics. Suffice it to say, he presented "vertical slices" of Eagle One" over about a kilometer to the southwest from drill hole #5. It showed the MMS anomaly surrounded by peridotite. Very impressive.

So when will the 43-101 be ready? In a couple of months was the answer. P&E (the engineering company doing the 43-101) was up to Eagle One in the last week to do more due diligence. This is a very good sign.

Drilling at Eagle Two is progressing very well. As Neil put it, "the hit-miss ratio" is being lowered. (I expect that the same is happening at the Freewest Option.) Noront continues to do airbourne surveys and a fourth drill will be onsite in June. 40 men and three drills are going 24/7. (I understand that there will be a short pause during Spring breakup during which the drill crews will take a break. I also understand that the Native peoples have requested a break in constant helicopter traffic to allow migrating birds to head north.)