Cliffs Natural Resources is pushing back the start of production at its Ring of Fire chromite deposit in the James Bay lowlands by one year.

In its latest investor presentation, the Ohio miner said Black Thor will begin production in 2016.

“The final decision on the furnace location (in Sudbury) took Cliffs longer than originally planned,” said spokeswoman Pat Persico by email. “This was due to the necessary discussions held with the province of Ontario regarding power and road. As these are very important decisions driving the long-term project, Cliffs is focused on making the best choices and adjusting schedules accordingly.”

First Nations concerns about the project's impact on the environment and the lack of consultation were not a factor in adjusting the development timeline, she said.

Black Thor is considered by Cliffs as a “tier one asset” with a proposed production rate of 600,000 tons of ferrochrome and one million tons of concentrate.