By: Sudbury Northern Life Staff

A parliamentary committee will hold a study on the Ring of Fire, a massive chromite mining project in northern Ontario.

The study was initiated after a motion introduced by Nickel Belt NDP MP and Ministry of Natural Resources critic Claude Gravelle.

“We want to hear witnesses from First Nations communities, from Cliffs Resources, the communities in the region, mining and environmental organizations,” Gravelle said.

The Natural Resources Committee has tentatively scheduled hearings into the matter for Feb. 14 and 16.

"The economic opportunities with Ring of Fire are apparent for the north, including a refinery smelter that needs to be in the north,” Gravelle said.

“We have to be sure to do this project right, and that means proper consultations and a role for First Nations and addressing the environmental concerns.”

Gravelle said it is important that resources extracted in the north be refined in the province and not abroad.

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http://www.moosefm.com/cfxn/news/10326-feds-to-study-chromite-deposit-in-northern-ontario

Feds to Study Chromite Deposit in Northern Ontario

A federal government committee will study the Ring of Fire chromite project in Northern Ontario. The hearing is the result of efforts by Nickel Belt MP Claude Gravelle. The Ring of Fire is a parcel of land about 5,100 square kilometers in size containing a massive chromite deposit. Among other things, Gravelle wants First Nations to get a piece of the action in the project. He adds the smelter the project will need has to be built in Northern Ontario so the ore is processed here and not abroad.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 07 February 2012 06:49

Posted by Arron Pickard