Marathon Platinum Group Metals and Copper Mine Project - Information Sessions
and Participant Funding Available

OTTAWA, Nov. 23 /CNW/ - The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) announces the holding of information sessions as well as the availability of participant funding as part of the environmental assessment process of the Marathon Platinum Group Metals and Copper Mine project near the Town of Marathon in northern Ontario. 

Information Sessions
In order to provide information about the environmental assessment process for the project, the Agency invites the public to attend information sessions as follows:

Location	Date / Time
Victoria Inn, Regency B room 555 West Arthur Street Thunder Bay	Monday, December 6, 2010 / Presentation and Questions 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Moose Lodge 6 Stevens Avenue Marathon	Wednesday, December 8, 2010 / Presentation and Questions 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Participant Funding - Phase 1
The Agency is making available $50,000 under its Participant Funding Program to assist individuals and groups to participate in the first phase of the environmental assessment of the project. To receive funding, successful applicants must participate in the environmental assessment.

A funding review committee, independent of the environmental assessment process, will consider all applications and make recommendations on funding awards. Applications received by the Agency by January 5, 2011 will be considered.

Information on the program including the Participant Funding Program Guide, the application form and the contribution agreement, is available at www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca .

The Environmental Assessment
The project requires a federal environmental assessment under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. The federal Minister of the Environment has referred the project to a review by an independent panel. The federal government is currently in discussions with the Province of Ontario to identify opportunities for coordinating provincial and federal environmental assessment requirements.

To obtain more information on this project review, consult the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry at www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca , reference number 10-05-54755. 

Marathon PGM Corporation is proposing to construct, operate and decommission a platinum group metals and copper mine approximately 10 km from Marathon, Ontario. The proposed project would include three open pits, an ore processing plant, tailings and mine rock storage facilities, site access roads, a 7-km power transmission line, explosives factory and magazines, water management facilities, ancillary mine infrastructure and associated activities. The rate of production would be approximately 22,000 tonnes per day with a proposed operating mine life of approximately 11.5 years.

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency administers the federal environmental assessment process, which identifies the environmental effects of proposed projects and measures to address those effects, in support of sustainable development.

For further information:

Media may contact:

Lucille Jamault
Communications Manager
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
Tel.: [phone]