With the announcement on Nov. 20 that Cliffs Natural Resources has suspended its work on the Ring of Fire, the project could take until 2020 to get underway, said Dick DeStefano, executive director of the Northern Ontario Mining Supply and Services Association.
“Chromite is not ready for the market because of logistics, negotiations with the Native communities and government investments in infrastructure,” DeStefano said.
But Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci said he remains hopeful the provincial government can facilitate progress for the $3.3-billion project.
“We have to do everything in our power to help move this project along.”
Bartolucci was Ontario's Minister of Northern Development and Mines when he announced Cliffs' development of the Ring of Fire would include a $1.8-billion refinery near Capreol.
“As late as a couple weeks ago when I spoke to Cliffs, the decision to locate the processing facility in Sudbury was a business decision,” Bartolucci said. “It was a very wise and well-thought-out decision.”
On Nov. 20, Thunder Bay Mayor Keith Hobbs told Northern Ontario Business that Cliffs' announcement to suspend its operations meant his city could be back in the running as a potential site for the refinery, instead of Capreol.
“I think it puts Thunder Bay back in the ball game for a processor and possibly a stainless mill,” he said. “It always made sense to us.”
But Bartolucci said when the project resumes, he is confident the refinery, and the 450 jobs it is expected to create, will be built in the Nickel City.
“For the mayor of Thunder Bay to start saying, 'It's a whole new ball game,' he better talk to Cliffs,” Bartolucci said. “Cliffs is still committed to Sudbury.”
Despite his confidence, Bartolucci admitted the process to begin operations has not moved fast enough.
“They were putting $50 million a year into a project where they weren't seeing movement they wished they would see,” he said.
But his political opponents have been more blunt.
“There's a lot of blame that should be laid at the feet of the provincial government,” said Norm Miller, the Progressive Conservative critic for Northern Development and Mines.
Miller said the Ring of Fire has been on the political radar for years, but the provincial government just this month set up a development corporation to ensure the mining project moves ahead.
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath echoed Miller's criticism.
“After years of touting the Ring of Fire as the panacea of jobs and prosperity for generations to come, last night’s announcement by Cliffs is a devastating blow to the province,” said Horwath in the release. “The Ring of Fire is an opportunity the government should be seizing in order to create good jobs and prosperity.
“Instead, the government seized an opportunity to churn out press releases and the promise of the Ring of Fire was snuffed out.”
Sudbury Mayor Marianne Matichuk said she was “very disappointed” by Cliffs' decision to cease its operations indefinitely.
“Everybody needs to get to the table to move this forward,” Matichuk said. “And we (the City of Greater Sudbury) will be included.”
Matichuk confirmed the city has not yet made infrastructure investments near the planned site for the Cliff's processing plant near Capreol.
And city spokesperson Shannon Dowling said the city had talks with Cliffs before Wednesday's announcement.
“While we have spoken about roads and bridges, no final decisions have been made and no work has commenced for the benefit of Cliffs,” she said in an email to Northern Life.
