Noront Confirms High-Grade Platinum-Palladium Grades - Identifies Presence of Rhodium

TORONTO, December 8 - Noront Resources Ltd. ("Noront" or the "Company") (TSX Venture: NOT) is
pleased to report that check assays of hole 09-070-W1 at the Company's
Eagle's Nest deposit, at the McFaulds Lake Property, confirm the impressive
platinum and palladium grades originally reported on November 19, 2009. More
interestingly, the high grade platinum and palladium grades triggered
internal quality controls which included assaying samples with both platinum
and palladium results exceeding 10.0 gpt for rhodium. Preliminary rhodium
results indicate grades in excess of 2.0 grams per tonne associated with the
higher-grade platinum and palladium samples. In light of the preliminary
results which strongly suggest the presence of additional platinum group
elements, specifically, rhodium, iridium, osmium, ruthenium and rhenium;
Noront has instructed Activation Laboratories Ltd. ("Actlabs") to immediately
begin the process of assaying the entire 22.8 metre interval for additional
platinum group elements.

    HIGHLIGHTS:
    -----------

    - Hole No. NOT-09-070-W1 original assaying intersected 22.8 metres
      averaging 28.1 gpt Pt and 8.0 gpt Pd

    - Including 8.4 metres averaging 1.2% Ni, 1.5% Cu, 68.8 gpt Pt and 7.6
      gpt Pd

    - Hole No. NOT-09-070-W1 check assaying intersected 22.8 metres averaging
      26.0 gpt Pt and 7.6 gpt Pd
       - Note a sample within the interval (619.3-620m) had insufficient
         material to accurately rerun, considering this the intervals
         above and below this sample are as follows
       - (607.6 - 619.3m) original Pt was 50.3gpt and rerun Pt 50.0gpt,
         original Pd 9.0gpt rerun Pd 9.0gpt
       - (620-630.4m) original Pt was 2.6gpt and rerun Pt 3.9gpt, original
         Pd 6.7gpt and rerun 6.4gpt

    - Sample 432113 measuring 0.5m returned a rhodium grade of 2.19 gpt with
      312.0 gpt platinum and 11.5 gpt palladium

    - Sample 432116 measuring 0.15m returned a rhodium grade of 3.13 gpt with
      943 gpt platinum and 11.3 gpt palladium

Rhodium is a relatively rare and valuable platinum group element (pge)
found in platinum ores and is commonly used to harden platinum and palladium.
It is found in the nickel-copper-pge deposits of the Sudbury basin and at
this stage the abundance in the Eagle's Nest is not completely understood due
to insufficient sampling. However, the Company plans to undertake a
comprehensive sampling campaign and study to evaluate the significance of the
rhodium and other platinum group elements throughout the entire Eagle's Nest
deposit.

The first step in developing an understanding of the significance of the
platinum group elements at Eagle's Nest will be a complete resampling of the
entire mineralized interval in hole NOT-09-070-W1 for the additional platinum
group elements including rhodium, iridium, osmium, ruthenium and rhenium. The
Company anticipates this analysis to be completed in the coming weeks and
results will be reported when available.

Drilling results continue to expand the size of the Eagle's Nest deposit
and have definitively filled in all remaining gaps along the vertical length
defining the mineralization to depth to below 1,000 metres. Hole
NOT-09-068-W1 was targeted to fill in the gap between the B and C lenses at
Eagle's Nest. In addition hole NOT-09-070-W1 intersected very significant
massive mineralization including the highest platinum grades encountered to
date at Eagle's Nest. The massive sulphide zone is taking shape and is close
to being defined along the down dip length of the deposit.

Noront's President and CEO, Wes Hanson, states: "The discovery of rhodium
within our Eagle's Nest deposit continues to demonstrate the robust and
unique nature of the Ring of Fire and the mineral deposits within it. Rhodium
is primarily recovered as an accessory mineral in a number of the world's
major nickel sulphide deposits. Our analysis to date suggests our rhodium
grades are within the upper quartile worldwide albeit, over a very limited
area. More importantly, this discovery resulted from our rigid quality
control, quality assurance program. Our check assaying confirmed the very
high-grade platinum and palladium results from hole 09-070-W1 as expected.
That our procedures also turned up the presence of high grade rhodium is an
additional benefit."

For further information on the McFaulds Lake Property, please refer to
the Company's NI 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects
compliant technical report "Technical Report and Preliminary Economic
Assessment on the Eagle One Deposit, Double Eagle Property, McFaulds Lake
Area, James Bay Lowlands, Ontario" (effective: October 20, 2008) available on
the Company's website and at www.sedar.com

INDEPENDENT QUALITY CONTROL AND ANALYTICAL PROTOCOL

A thorough quality control program has been in effect for the Eagle's
Nest project which includes grouping samples into batches of 35 into which
are added 2 certified reference material standards, 2 field and pulp
duplicates also form part of the QC program. It can be said with confidence
that all assays are reported in this Press Release have passed the strict
quality control guidelines as set out by Noront's independent Qualified
Person ("IQP"). All samples reported upon herein were completed by Activation
Labs (Actlabs) of Ancaster, Ontario. The samples submitted to Actlabs were
analyzed for multi-elements, including Ni and Cu using a four acid digestion
and by ICP analysis. The samples that received base metal values greater than
the upper limit for the method underwent further analysis using ICP-OES. For
the Au, Pd and Pt, the assay methodology was Fire Assay on a 30 gram aliquot
with an ICP finish. Silver was analyzed using a 3-acid digest with an ICP
analysis. For more information on assay methodology please visit the
Activation Laboratories Ltd. Website at www.actlabsint.com.

Preparation of drilling results in this press release has been supervised
by Noront's senior management including Jeremy Niemi, P.Geo. Vice President,
Geology, who is a Qualified Person under Canadian Securities Administrators
guidelines. At the current stage of exploration there is insufficient
drilling to determine the extent of continuity of the mineralization required
to define a mineral resource for all mineralization at the Eagle's Nest.
Noront anticipates delivering an updated mineral resource in second half of
2010.

About Noront:

Noront Resources Ltd. is focused on its significant and multiple,
high-grade nickel-copper-platinum-palladium, chromite and vanadium
discoveries in an area known as the "Ring of Fire", an emerging multi-metals
district located in the James Bay Lowlands of Ontario, Canada. Noront is the
dominant land holder at the Ring of Fire and continues to delineate and prove
up its discoveries with NI 43-101 technical and economic reports and an
aggressive and well financed drill plan for the remainder of 2009 and 2010.
All material information on Noront can be found on the Company's website at
www.norontresources.com or at SEDAR at www.sedar.com

Wesley (Wes) Hanson

Chief Executive Officer

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of
applicable Canadian securities legislation, including predictions,
projections and forecasts. Forward-looking statements include, but are not
limited to, statements that address activities, events or developments that
the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including
such things as future business strategy, competitive strengths, goals,
expansion, growth of the Company's businesses, operations, plans and with
respect to exploration results, the timing and success of exploration
activities generally, permitting time lines, government regulation of
exploration and mining operations, environmental risks, title disputes or
claims, limitations on insurance coverage, timing and possible outcome of any
pending litigation and timing and results of future resource estimates or
future economic studies.

Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by
the use of words such as "plans", "planning", "planned", "expects" or
"looking forward", "does not expect", "continues", "scheduled", "estimates",
"forecasts", "intends", "potential", "anticipates", "does not anticipate", or
"belief", or describes a "goal", or variation of such words and phrases or
state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would",
"might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved.

Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and
assumptions, including, the result of drilling and exploration activities,
that contracted parties provide goods and/or services on the agreed
timeframes, that equipment necessary for exploration is available as
scheduled and does not incur unforeseen break downs, that no labour shortages
or delays are incurred, that plant and equipment function as specified, that
no unusual geological or technical problems occur, and that laboratory and
other related services are available and perform as contracted.
Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, future events,
conditions, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual
results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any
future results, prediction, projection, forecast, performance or achievements
expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include,
among others, the interpretation and actual results of current exploration
activities; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined;
future prices of gold; possible variations in grade or recovery rates;
failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; the failure of
contracted parties to perform; labour disputes and other risks of the mining
industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing or in the
completion of exploration, as well as those factors disclosed in the
company's publicly filed documents. Although Noront has attempted to identify
important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to
differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there
may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as
anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that
forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and
future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such
statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements.

    Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as
    that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts
    responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information: Joanne Jobin, Vice President Corporate
Communications at +1-416-367-1444 ext 126, or visit Noront's website at:
www.norontresources.com

For further information: Joanne Jobin, Vice President Corporate Communications at +1-416- 367-1444 ext 126, or visit Noront's website at: www.norontresources.com