KWG Consents to Geotechnical Program for Road Link Environmental Study
KWG Resources Inc., operating as The Canadian Chrome Company, has announced that its subsidiary, Canada Chrome Corporation (CCC), has entered a memorandum of agreement with AtkinsRéalis Canada Inc. to support the development of key infrastructure in northern Ontario. The agreement strengthens CCC’s role as a contractor for the Marten Falls and Webequie First Nations, who are spearheading an environmental assessment for the design, construction, and maintenance of the Northern Road Link. This all-season road aims to connect the proposed Marten Falls Community Access Road to the Webequie Supply Road, enhancing access to the Ring of Fire region.
“For more than 15 years, KWG has supported infrastructure projects that benefit the local communities in the James Bay Lowlands and mining companies with assets in the area,” said KWG CEO Frank Smeenk. “We believe in the equitable sharing of benefits and revenues that infrastructure and mining can bring to these communities. With this agreement, we’re proud to lend our consent and support to the development of the Northern Road Link.”
Under the agreement, CCC has granted AtkinsRéalis temporary access rights to portions of surface areas over CCC’s mineral claims along its proposed Utility Corridor route. This corridor, spanning 330 kilometers from Nakina, Ontario, to KWG’s Black Horse chromite discovery, is planned to accommodate transportation and electrification systems with connections to several First Nations communities. The temporary access, granted for up to five years, will allow AtkinsRéalis to conduct essential geotechnical investigations, aggregate testing, and install monitoring wells. At the end of these periods, the access rights will be surrendered, restoring all surface access rights to CCC.
AtkinsRéalis will also provide KWG and CCC with detailed reports, as-built drawings, and geological data as various stages of work are completed. KWG anticipates that these findings will support its ongoing efforts to efficiently develop mining projects in alignment with Ontario’s Mining Act.
Expanding the Utility Corridor Vision
Since 2009, CCC has secured 1,685 claims along a corridor it identified as ideal for transportation and electrification systems, stretching from Nakina to the Ring of Fire. Following extensive surveying and soil testing, CCC applied for 32 aggregate extraction permits, aiming to use locally sourced materials for infrastructure construction. In 2021, KWG and CCC engaged Cormorant Utilities and Rail-Veyor Technologies to develop engineering proposals for a transport and utility corridor that would connect the Ring of Fire to Ontario’s power grid and trans-Canada transportation systems. The proposed corridor includes plans to bring electrification systems to First Nations communities across the James Bay Lowlands, strengthening regional infrastructure while connecting remote communities to essential services.
To date, KWG and CCC have invested over $33 million in engineering design and feasibility studies, which include assessments for rail, Rail-Veyor, and electrification along the corridor. KWG intends to pursue formal recognition of these infrastructure developments as “mining works” under the Mining Act, underscoring the corridor’s strategic importance to the mining and resource sectors.
About KWG Resources / The Canadian Chrome Company
KWG Resources, also known as The Canadian Chrome Company, focuses on identifying and developing large-scale mineral deposits, particularly chromite, base metals, and strategic minerals. The company holds a 100% interest in the Black Horse chromite project and several other assets in the Ring of Fire area, including a 30% stake in the Big Daddy chromite project. KWG’s subsidiary, Canada Chrome Corporation, holds extensive mining claims along the proposed Utility Corridor, with plans to establish a transportation and electrification link from the Ring of Fire to Nakina, Ontario. KWG has also developed a proprietary method for reducing chromite using natural gas, which offers a lower-cost, environmentally friendly alternative to traditional processes, and holds patents in Canada, the USA, South Africa, and Kazakhstan.
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