Noront Confirms High-Grade Platinum – Palladium Grades Identifies Presence of Rhodium

Toronto, Ontario, December 8, 2009. Noront Resources Ltd. (“Noront” or the “Company”) (TSX Venture: NOT) is pleased to report that check assays of hole 09-070-W1 at the Company’s Eagle’s Nest deposit, at the McFaulds Lake Property, confirm the impressive platinum and palladium grades originally reported on November 19, 2009. More interestingly, the high grade platinum and palladium grades triggered internal quality controls which included assaying samples with both platinum and palladium results exceeding 10.0 gpt for rhodium. Preliminary rhodium results indicate grades in excess of 2.0 grams per tonne associated with the higher-grade platinum and palladium samples. In light of the preliminary results which strongly suggest the presence of additional platinum group elements, specifically, rhodium, iridium, osmium, ruthenium and rhenium; Noront has instructed Activation Laboratories Ltd. (“Actlabs”) to immediately begin the process of assaying the entire 22.8 metre interval for additional platinum group elements.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Hole #NOT-09-070-W1 original assaying intersected 22.8 metres averaging 28.1 gpt Pt and 8.0 gpt Pd
  • Including 8.4 metres averaging 1.2% Ni, 1.5% Cu, 68.8 gpt Pt and 7.6 gpt Pd
• Hole #NOT-09-070-W1 check assaying intersected 22.8 metres averaging 26.0 gpt Pt and 7.6 gpt Pd
  • Note a sample within the interval (619.3-620m) had insufficient material to accurately rerun, considering this the intervals above and below this sample are as follows
  • (607.6 – 619.3m) original Pt was 50.3gpt and rerun Pt 50.0gpt, original Pd 9.0gpt rerun Pd 9.0gpt
  • (620-630.4m) original Pt was 2.6gpt and rerun Pt 3.9gpt, original Pd 6.7gpt and rerun 6.4gpt
• Sample 432113 measuring 0.5m returned a rhodium grade of 2.19 gpt with 312.0 gpt platinum and 11.5 gpt palladium
• Sample 432116 measuring 0.15m returned a rhodium grade of 3.13 gpt with 943 gpt platinum and 11.3 gpt palladium

Rhodium is a relatively rare and valuable platinum group element (pge) found in platinum ores and is commonly used to harden platinum and palladium. It is found in the nickel-copper-pge deposits of the Sudbury basin and at this stage the abundance in the Eagle’s Nest is not completely understood due to insufficient sampling. However, the Company plans to undertake a comprehensive sampling campaign and study to evaluate the significance of the rhodium and other platinum group elements throughout the entire Eagle’s Nest deposit.....

Comment:  According to this report from 2009 maybe it's time to resample our rhodium as well.  Not just cobalt.