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Congrats extended on Ring of Fire road plan

Stakeholders ready to reap the benefits of Far North development
Sioux Lookout

The province’s long-awaited rollout of a Ring of Fire road plan was welcome news to those with a vested interest in seeing Far North development.

“Building these roads is an important step in realizing the economic benefits of one of the biggest mineral-development opportunities in Ontario,” said Acting Thunder Bay Mayor Linda Rydholm.

"Natural resources, including minerals, are important to the economy of Thunder Bay, as well as Ontario and Canada.”

The northwestern Ontario city stands to benefits from development in the Far North, especially its mining supply business base and for its consideration by Noront Resources as a potential host site for a ferrochrome smelter.

Sioux Lookout Mayor Doug Lawrance applauded the work of the province and First Nations.

His community embarked on a mining strategy three years ago to scan for opportunities in resource development to boost a staging local economy, including promoting themselves as a potential transload truck-to-rail hub handling ore and mineral concentrate coming out of the Ring of Fire.

The municipality has attracted company partners in laying out industrial park plans in the town’s east end.

“Sioux Lookout wanted to be ready for any developments north of the community. I attribute our success to being ready for this announcement to our visionary leaders and administration team, including our commercial/industrial partners both locally and regionally.

“We want to be a strategic partner with our Northern First Nations and the province and look forward to working with them to see this project move forward. This is great news.”

One of the original discoverers of the Ring of Fire, Richard Nemis, former Noront CEO, had a few congratulatory words to say through his new junior mining vehicle, Bold Ventures, which has a number of claim groups in the Ring of Fire area.

“Bold management believes that this crucial step in developing the access infrastructure for this future multi-metals mining district will support a generational-level economic development for local communities, industry, and government,” said an Aug. 22 company news release.

“It will provide positive input for the economic feasibility of resource projects in this area.”

In 2007, Nemis made the first discovery in the area with the Eagle’s Nest nickel-copper-PGM deposit.