Named after a famous Johnny Cash song, the Ring of Fire project in Ontario, Canada finally looks to be on the path to development.
Discovered in 2007 and rated as one of Canada’s biggest ever minerals deposits, Ring of Fire has been delayed by controversy and political concerns – in particular its remote location, approximately 500km northeast of Thunder Bay and 300km from the nearest paved road.
However, a new deal announced in March by the Ontario government, appears to suggest that the environmental, political, and logistical issues may be turning towards the positive.
After much discussion and debate, the Ontario government has now approved the terms designed and submitted by Webequie and Marten Falls First Nations for an all-season, multi-use road connecting to the proposed Ring of Fire mining development area.
Ontario has dedicated close to C$1B to support critical legacy infrastructure in the Ring of Fire area including constructing all‑season roads, investing in high-speed internet, road upgrades, and community supports.
Marten Falls and Webequie First Nations are co-leading the planning of the Northern Road Link project as part of a historic partnership with the province. The project will connect the Ring of Fire’s critical mineral deposits with manufacturing hubs in the south, paving the way for made-in-Ontario supply chains for batteries and electric vehicles.
“The Ring of Fire has the critical minerals we need to build our manufacturing supply chain, including nickel for electric vehicles and chromite for clean steel. Our government’s investments in innovation and infrastructure are creating jobs across the entire province, including northern and Indigenous communities,” said George Pire, Ontario’s minister of mines.
“The Ontario government has approved the Terms of Reference as submitted by Marten Falls and Webequie First Nations, which is an important first step in the environmental process that will enable critical transportation infrastructure to be built,” added David Piccini, Ontario’s minister of environment, conservation, and parks. “Tomorrow’s clean, green jobs depend on meaningful partnerships we’ve built with First Nations communities and our government looks forward to continuing to work closely with them to unlock this immense potential in the north while ensuring strong environmental protections remain in place.”
The province also recently announced Ring of Fire participants amongst the recipients of a Critical Minerals Innovation Fund. The C$5M fund is supporting Ontario-based companies that are leading the development of new mining technologies focused on building the critical minerals supply chain. These companies are doing ground-breaking work to solve supply chain challenges in exploration, mining, and processing.
Ring of Fire Metals Pty Ltd received C$500K in funding to test the feasibility of repurposing and storing all tailings materials underground in the form of backfill in mine workings.
“The critical minerals sector continues to play a key role in Ontario’s end-to-end supply chain,” said Vic Fedeli, minister of economic development, job creation, and trade. “Through the Critical Minerals Innovation Fund, we’re connecting the critical minerals of the north with the manufacturing might of the south, increasing our competitive advantage and ensuring Ontario remains a global leader in the mining sector.”
Ongoing Assessments
- Webequie and Marten Falls First Nations are each leading their own community road Environmental Assessments and are working together on the assessment of the Northern Road Link.
- Together, the Webequie Supply Road, Marten Falls Community Access Road and Northern Road Link would connect the two communities to the Ring of Fire mineral deposits and the Ontario highway network.
- The Ministry of Mines is supporting the First Nations-led Environmental Assessments through a Crown consultation process that ensures the Crown’s Duty to Consult obligations are met on all proposed road projects.
- In November 2022, the Ontario government launched the Critical Minerals Innovation Fund as part of the Critical Minerals Strategy.
- The Ontario government has introduced legislation to amend the Mining Act that, if passed, will attract more investment in the province’s mining sector while strengthening the made-in-Ontario critical minerals supply chains for batteries and electric vehicles.
- The mining industry in Ontario is responsible for 75,000 jobs across the province and it produces C$11.1B worth of minerals that contribute approximately C$13B to Ontario’s GDP every year.
“The Northern Road Link has the potential to become a critical transportation linkage for remote First Nations in Ontario, but these opportunities must also be balanced against the potential environmental and socio-cultural risks associated with building a road,” Webequie First Nation chief, Cornelius Wabasse, said.
“Our Indigenous-led approach has been designed to study the project’s potential impacts and effects, as well as alternatives and possible mitigations, and most importantly, to allow First Nations people to make informed decisions about the future development of their traditional lands. This project has the potential to finally bring economic reconciliation for remote First Nations in Ontario, and we are proud to be at the forefront of this planning process with our sister Nation in Marten Falls.”
New Legislation
With the delays on moving ahead with the Ring of Fire development in the background, the Ontario government recently introduced legislation to amend the Mining Act that will, if passed, attract more investment in the province’s mining sector while strengthening the made-in-Ontario critical minerals supply chains for batteries, electric vehicles, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, and other advanced manufacturing technologies.
“It shouldn’t take 15 years to open a mine. This process is too time consuming and costly, leading to project delays and lost opportunities for Ontario’s mineral exploration and mining sector,” said George Pirie, minister of mines. “We need to get building. That’s why our government is introducing changes to the Mining Act to help attract more investment and secure the critical minerals that support the made-in-Ontario supply chain for new technologies like batteries and electric vehicles.”
Background
The Ring of Fire Metals’ flagship project, Eagle’s Nest, is one of the largest undeveloped, high-grade nickel-copper-platinum-palladium deposits in the world. Located in northern Ontario, Eagle’s Nest will have an initial mine life of 11 years with the potential for a nine-year extension.
Based on existing exploration work, it will produce modest volumes of high value product via selective underground mining methods that minimize surface disruption. The mined ore will be processed into 150,000t of nickel-copper and platinum group element bearing concentrate per year.
The proposed Eagle’s Nest project has sustainability at the heart of its design and will set a new benchmark in the area for responsible mine development and generating opportunities in local communities and industry.
