Ontario Minister of Mines George Pirie of Timmins says development of the Ring of Fire is an essential component of the province’s critical minerals and electrification strategies and so his ministry is doubling down on consulting with the major stakeholders in the region.
A number of hurdles remain but Pirie said in a recent interview he is confident the environmental assessment (EA) for the main all-season road project that would serve the Webequie and Marten Falls First Nations will proceed without delays. He said he foresees miners with interests in the Ring of Fire will be moving ahead toward production in a parallel time frame as the EA and construction of the road.
Ontario has promised $1 billion to support the “Corridor to Prosperity.”
“You can’t do any of this without accessing the critical minerals that Ontario has specifically, that the world needs,” said Pirie. “So obviously, the big thing we’re talking about is a sense of urgency that this has to happen. We’re working full speed to ensure that it happens, that in fact we can secure the critical minerals that are going to be required to decarbonize our economy.”
As of January 2022, there were about 26,000 active mining claims held by 15 companies and individuals, covering approximately 5,000 square kilometres in the Ring of Fire in the James Bay lowlands. Minerals identified to date include chromite, copper, zinc, diamonds, nickel, vanadium and platinum.
Three proposed road projects, the Webequie Supply Road Project, Marten Falls Community Access Road Project and Northern Road Link Project, are being proposed by the Marten Falls and Webequie communities, who are also leading the EA.
Pirie said the two First Nations are consulting with other First Nations communities in the region and that is “well in hand.”
“The progressive chiefs of Webequie and Marten Falls want to see this happen,” said Pirie. “They want their children to come back into those communities and have a secure future.”
Pirie said he has been in discussions with other First Nations also with “very progressive chiefs.
“Quite frankly, nothing is going to happen without the involvement of the Indigenous peoples and that is the way it should be.”
Pirie said he meets every two weeks to monthly with the proponents for the roads and also consults with the prospectors regularly.
He met with the miner Juno last week.
“They’re exploring right now, the diamond drills are turning. And of course, when they compile enough data they’ll have to conduct a pre-feasibility and then a feasibility study. Those take some time and I’m certain that the road will be ready in time for those feasibility studies to be to be completed and approved, to have a bankable feasibility study.”
Juno is a battery and electric metals explorer with over 16,500 mineral claims covering around 3,200 square kilometres in the Ring of Fire. The firm is led by two Canadian mining veterans, Terry MacGibbon and Robert Cudney.
Meanwhile Australia’s Wyloo Metals announced in April it had completed the acquisition of long-time Ring of Fire contender Noront Resources, owner of significant resources in the Eagle’s Nest precinct of the Ring of Fire.
In October, Noront was rebranded as Ring Of Fire Metals with Wyloo signalling its intention to renew activity in the Ring of Fire. Wyloo stated Eagle’s Nest would set new standards in sustainable mining.
Progress continued Dec. 6 as Ring of Fire Metals and the Webequie First Nation signed a memorandum of understanding on Ring of Fire development.
Webequie Chief Cornelius Wabasse said in a statement, “As leaders and critical decision-makers, we have a social responsibility with our members and that is to find ways to sustain our community through long-term relationship agreements that will bring and foster livelihood.”
Wyloo’s Leanne Franco told the Daily Commercial News while Wyloo is pursuing its plans in parallel with the EA process, “The advancement of the infrastructure corridor is a key next step.
“We don’t have public dates for an FID (final investment decision), construction or the start of drilling for Ring of Fire Metals’ Eagle’s Nest nickel project just yet.”
Wyloo previously acknowledged the firm has had initial discussions with the U.S. Department of Defense regarding the resources available in the Ring of Fire.
Federal Minister of Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson said during a recent critical minerals presentation in Vancouver that the James Bay region is a “particularly challenging space,” and that peatlands in the area are considered a global carbon sink.
Wilkinson also mentioned the need to address the concerns of other First Nations in the region. He said his department has yet to see a formal mine project proposal for the Ring of Fire.
Ontario is looking to the federal government for a major investment.
“My principal contact is always minister Wilkinson,” said Pirie. “Every single conversation I’ve had with him, we’re on the same page.
“We’re fully supporting the process of consultation. We’re looking at the federal government to participate fully on these projects as well.”
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