In a significant step toward sustainable mining and community engagement, Flying Nickel has unveiled its latest collaboration with the Norway House Cree Nation (NHCN). This partnership is centered around a Quarry project within the bounds of Flying Nickel’s wholly owned Minago nickel project in the prolific Thompson Nickel Belt, Manitoba.
Initiated in February 2024 and slated for completion in April 2024, the Quarry Project is designed to harness limestone materials near the surface under Quarry Lease QL-2067. This quarry is strategically located close to the proposed milling site, which is a mere half-kilometer west of the Minago Project's proposed open-pit site. The endeavor is not just a mining project but a bridge to substantial community benefits, expected to yield approximately 7,500 tonnes of limestone. This material is earmarked for essential infrastructure projects within the NHCN community, representing a tangible benefit from the natural resources within their traditional lands.
Moreover, the project is set to complete two all-weather exploration roads, extending 1.7km and 1.3km respectively. These roads are crucial for Flying Nickel, as they will facilitate future exploration drilling programs at the Minago Project, ensuring the project's sustainability and operational efficiency.
Robert Van Drunen, the Chief Operating Officer of Flying Nickel, expressed his enthusiasm for the Quarry Project, highlighting it as a testament to the company's commitment to First Nations engagement and a valued partnership. "The Quarry Project is not just about limestone extraction; it's about building capacity through training opportunities in skilled mining positions for local First Nation people," Van Drunen stated. He emphasized the project's role in offering training in heavy equipment operation, drilling, crushing, surveying, blasting, and trucking, thereby fostering skill development and employment opportunities within the NHCN community.
This project is executed in alignment with an Impact and Benefit Agreement, underscoring the collaborative spirit between NHCN and Flying Nickel. Signed in March 2023, this agreement lays the groundwork for utilizing a First Nation joint venture construction contractor, ensuring that the benefits of the project flow back into the community, in keeping with the principles of sustainable and inclusive development.
Notably, NHCN is a significant shareholder in Flying Nickel, and the Minago Project sits within NHCN's resource management area, symbolizing a deep-rooted partnership and shared vision for the region's development.
The Minago nickel project is a cornerstone of Flying Nickel’s portfolio, boasting a National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101) measured and indicated mineral resource of 44.2 million tonnes at 0.74% Ni (722 million lbs contained nickel), alongside an inferred mineral resource of 19.6 million tonnes, also at 0.74% Ni (319 million lbs contained nickel). The project envisions both open-pit and underground mining methods, highlighting its potential as a significant contributor to the nickel supply chain, essential for the burgeoning electric vehicle industry and stainless steel manufacturing. While mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have confirmed economic viability, the project's strategic planning and community engagement initiatives like the Quarry Project set a precedent for responsible and mutually beneficial resource development.
