Cliffs Natural Resources is inviting the public to attend an Oct. 25 open house about the chromite smelter it plans to build near Capreol.

Throughout 2011 and 2012, Cliffs held open house and community meeting events to obtain feedback on its project description report as well as the draft terms of reference, according to information provided by the company.

Cliffs has now formally submitted its terms of reference to the Ministry of the Environment, which provides the framework for the provincial component of the environmental assessment.

The federal environmental assessment (EA) will be carried out concurrently with the provincial EA.

The company is now “moving forward with the co-ordinated environmental assessment and is beginning the next phase of consultation and engagement activities.”

Cliffs is looking to garner feedback for the provincial environmental assessment planning process at the open house. It's looking for feedback “on the preliminary list of Valued Ecosystem Components (VECs), the results of the baseline studies and project alternatives assessment.”

The open house will take place at the Capreol Community Centre, located at 20 Meehan St. in Capreol, from 4-8 p.m. Oct. 25.

Those unable to attend the open house are asked to forward questions or comments to by mail to Jason Aagenes, director, environmental affairs, 1159 Alloy Dr., Ste. 200, Thunder Bay, ON, P7B 6M8, by phone at 1-855-353-4766, by fax at 216-694-4035 or by email at Public_affairs@cliffsnr.com.