A news update from Noront Resources about development in the Ring of Fire

New: Online Claim Staking in Ontario By Matt Downey, Manager, Lands and Data

Technology is having an impact everywhere and the mining industry

is no exception. April 2018 marked the introduction of a new online map staking system in Ontario.

This is a move away from the time-honoured practice of ground staking, which came to an official end on January 8, 2018. Map staking has been debated for more than a decade in Ontario, and has been implemented in several other Canadian jurisdictions, which makes Ontario one of the last to implement the practice.

The new process has many positives including: 1) reducing claim staking costs by at least two-thirds; 2) decreasing logistics requirements for ground staking; 3) lessening environmental disturbance; 4) eliminating geographical positioning inaccuracies involving ground claims which will reduce or eliminate conflicts with other mineral exploration parties; and 5) reducing conflicts with private land owners and First Nation communities.

While the change eliminates the traditional ground claim staker role, prospecting (continued on next page)

Why Does Nickel Come Before Chromite?By Alan Coutts, President and CEO

When people talk about the Ring of Fire, they tend to focus on the

rich chromite deposits highlighted by the media. But, the first mine that will be developed in the region will actually be Eagle’s Nest, a nickel deposit with strong concentrations of platinum, palladium and copper.

There are several reasons why Eagle’s Nest will be developed first. It was the initial discovery in the Ring of Fire (2007) and is the most advanced deposit having seen extensive geological work performed over the years. In 2012, a positive Feasibility Study was completed which determined the mine’s economic viability based on long-term metal prices, estimated capital requirements and operating costs.

Another important factor is an expected rise in nickel demand over the next five years as electric vehicles (EV) become

more mainstream. Nickel is the number one component in EV batteries and we want to be ready to profit from this high demand.

Finally, there are existing smelting plants in Sudbury for turning the Eagle’s Nest ore into nickel and copper. By contrast, there are no chromite smelters in Ontario, or in North America for that matter. It’s our plan to build a Ferrochrome Production Facility, however that won’t happen for five to seven years.

In the meantime, we will build the Eagle’s Nest mine, which will create over 600 jobs and ship our mineral concentrate via the all-season road to the existing CN railroad and then on to Sudbury for processing.

Issue 8 – April 2018

Bird's eye view of Esker Camp, located on top of Eagle's Nest

Marking a traditional claim post in the field

This is the first story in a multi-part series addressing questions asked by readers. Please continue to send your

questions to: info@norontresources.com

EAGLE’S EYE

What is VMS? By Geoff Heggie, Senior Geologist

Noront’s recently completed exploration program was carried

out in the McFaulds Lake area and it targeted Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide deposits otherwise known as VMS. Their discovery sparked curiosity among Noront staff and launched a discussion around how VMS deposits are formed.

While they can host a diverse range of metals; VMS deposits are usually made of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), silver (Ag), and sometimes gold (Au). This collection of metals differs from the Eagle’s Nest deposit (copper, nickel, platinum group elements) and the Ring of Fire chromite deposits (chromium) because each of these deposits is the result of different conditions and processes.

The McFaulds deposits were formed 2.7 billion years ago when the earth’s core was much hotter and the oceanic and continental plates were constantly breaking apart and coming together. Fractures were formed as a result, and sea water seeped into them. When the sea water got close to the molten core, it would heat up and shoot back to the surface as hot springs. Along the way, these hot fluids would leach minerals out of the surrounding rocks. When the mineral rich hot-springs reached the cold water of the sea floor, metals in the solution would crystalize in large mounds.

In some cases, the process of leaching and deposition happened efficiently over an extended period of time (maybe millions of years) and resulted in an accumulation of metal enriched massive sulfide mounds. In the eons that followed, the mounds would get covered over by sand and volcanic lava and preserved for us to one day discover as we are now through our current exploration program.

Issue 8 – April 2018

NAME:

WAYNE SUGANAQUEB

COMMUNITY:

WEBEQUIE FIRST NATION

JOB POSITION:

DRILLER WITH CYR DRILLING

New: Online Claim Staking in Ontario (continued from previous page) remains a neccessary first step in the mineral exploration process. Those who know the land still have much to offer the mineral exploration industry, including, to name a few, the traditional roles of prospecting and line-cutting. It is hoped that traditional ground claim stakers will carve themselves a new path as the industry moves forward in the digital age. We are very excited about this move and it is great to see Ontario mining practices modernize in a way that will simplify one of our core processes.

What do you do?

I work at Cyr Drilling as a Diamond/RC (Reverse Circulation) Driller and Driller Assistant. I’m also a Millwright and a Type 1 & 2 Underground Miner. My job includes working with the foremen on program start-ups because I know how to put a drill rig together and being a driller assistant when programs are operating.

Have you worked for Noront?

Yes, I was a field assistant when I had time off from drilling. I’ve always enjoyed working at Esker Camp, being around people I know and working close to my hometown of Webequie.

How did you become a driller/miner?

I started as a dish washer/cook’s help. Long story short, Noront's Camp Manager, Ralph MacNally, helped me get into the Diamond Driller Assistant Common Core course offered by the Ontario Ministry of Colleges. That got me where I am, and I’m grateful for his help to this day.

I went to Northern College in Kirkland Lake for my Surface Diamond Driller Assistant Common Core course. I learned basic drilling methods and had work placements which got me started in mining. Then, I had an opportunity to do Reverse Circulation Drilling in Quebec and Northern Labrador. I started out as

a helper and was promoted to a driller a few months later. After that I got the chance to do an underground common core course offered by the Ontario Ministry and that led to me working as a Type 1 & 2 miner at Vale Mines.

What does a typical day look like in your current job?

We start with tool box meetings and a list of assigned tasks. I do pre-operational checks, standard checks and quality control on all equipment from oil checks to electrical starts. We have to do fuel and core handling as well as sling and de-mob the drilling equipment. We also maintain quality control on all core drilled and processed at the core shack. It’s hard work to maintain a good drilling program.

What do you want to share with people about your career?

I would encourage anyone to get in the drilling field through the mining programs offered. There are advancements (even traveling if you want to explore the world). I have gone to many places and experienced different cultures at many levels. I’ve have been to the east and west coasts of Canada exploring both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. There is endless learning in the mining industry and many opportunities to explore.

Employee Profile