About The Northern Ontario Ring of Fire

What is the Ring of Fire? an area in Northern Ontario in the James Bay Lowland that has become an area of interest due to recently (2007) discovered mineral deposits it is an area of about 20,000 square kilometers (the size of Lake Ontario)
Where is it? 500 km northeast of Thunder Bay, Ontario 240 km west of James Bay 70 km east of Webequie in the James Bay Lowland west of Attawapiskat Kopper Lake, McFauld's Lake Muketei River
What have they found & what are the resources good for? chromite Chromite is processed into ferrochrome used in making stainless steel chromium oxide Cr₂O₃ copper Cu copper sulfide mineralization Cu_xS_y _{Prominent copper sulfide minerals include Cu2S (chalcocite) and CuS (covellite). In the mining industry, the minerals bornite or chalcopyrite, which consist of mixed copper-iron sulfides, are often referred to as "copper sulfides". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper_sulfide} diamond industrial uses gold nickel Ni PGE ore - Magmatic nickel-copper-iron-PGE An ore is a type of rock that contains minerals with important elements including metals. The ores are extracted through mining; these are then refined to extract the valuable element(s). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ore palladium platinum vanadiaum
What will be needed to develop the resources? agreement between all of the parties trained workers rail line to take ore out and bring construction material & goods in year round road extended airport / landing strips staging area at south end of transportation link mining equipment & buildings a smelter and an electric arc furnace complex somewhere in the Thunder Bay area ore processing mill with a gravity separator crushers, concentrators power / energy sources coking coal / fuel as energy source for processing hydro-electric power
What's it like? flat muskeg swamp of the James Bay Region system of glacial eskers pristine lakes and forests part of the northern boreal eco-region for more info & photos of wildflowers, check out http://www.ontariowildflower.com/index.htm#top - a great site maintained as a hobby by Andy Fyon
Who lives there? Matawa First Nations 9 communities including: Aroland Eabametoong Fort Hope Ginoogaming Koper Lake Long Lake #58 Neskantaga Marten Falls Webequie
Where can I find out what's going on? Wawatay News Online http://www.wawataynews.ca/

What is life like in the James Bay Lowland area? What do kids do for fun? How do they plan for the future? How do people go to school, get medical care, do shopping? How connected are people to the rest of the world? How do people live? What do they wear? What do they do for fellowship? What do people do? What jobs are there? What is family life like? How do you find a mate?
How do you get there?
What's new & in the news?
Who is involved and has an interest in the outcomes? First Nations communities mineral exploration community / Mining Companies Far North Act (Bill 191) The legislation proposes setting aside half the Far North forests for protection. Environmental assessment Provincial Parks Nature fish, birds, wildlife, reptiles, amphibians at risk species: lake sturgeon, bald eagle, yellow rail, black tern, short-eared owl, woodland caribou, wolverine http://www.ontarionature.org/protect/campaigns/PDFs/Ring%20of%20Fire%20backgrounder.pdf forests, soil, plants, wetlands, Boreal Forest lakes, rivers headwaters of 2 major rivers flowing into James Bay naturalists / environmentalists International Union for Conservation of Nature Ontario Nature http://www.ontarionature.org/protect/campaigns/ring_of_fire.php Ecojustice Mining Watch Canada CPAWS Wildlands League Provincial Government Minister of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry Mining Act Federal Government mine railway could be qualifed as a Canadian Development Expense under the Income Tax Act tax ruling all Canadians our Earth / global environment globally significant, carbon rich bogs and forests, intact watersheds and endangered species' habitat http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=9826