North American Nickel Inc.: First Stage of Metallurgical Test Work Confirms Pentlandite Within the Sulphide Mineralization at...

North American Nickel Inc. (TSX VENTURE:NAN)(OTCBB:WSCRF) (CUSIP: 65704T 108) -
North American Nickel ("NAN") is pleased to announce that it has received the
first results of metallurgical studies performed by SGS Canada Inc. ("SGS").
SGS, using QEMSCAN analysis on samples of mineralized drill core from NAN's 100%
owned Maniitsoq Ni-Cu-Co-PGE sulphide project in southwest Greenland, has
clearly identified the nickel mineralization as being pentlandite. 


This is a positive first step for the metallurgy of Maniitsoq because
pentlandite is the principle nickel mineral in the world's nickel sulphide
camps. 


On the completion of these metallurgical studies by SGS, NAN hopes to establish
the macro parameters that will guide subsequent larger scale metallurgical
testing of the multiple surface and near surface Ni, Cu, Co and PGM bearing
sulphide prospects located within Maniitsoq's 75 km by 15 km Greenland Norite
belt. 


The QEMSCAN analysis is conducted in three stages with stage one now complete
and stage two and three in progress and results expected in April.


John Pattison, North American Nickel's Chief Geologist states: "Stage one, the
field stitch (FS) imagery, covers only small sections of core, but the results
are very encouraging as we can now confirm medium and coarse-grained pentlandite
in two of the three samples. We look forward to receiving the results of the
particle mineral analysis (PMA) as they will provide us with an indication of
the liberation characteristics of the sulphides. While the Maniitsoq project is
at a relatively early stage, it is not too early to begin investigating the
metallurgical characteristics of the mineralization, as we plan for success in
drilling several targets in 2013." 


The three stages of the QEMSCAN analysis are:



1.  Field stitch (FS) imagery of polished core samples to determine
    localized mineralogy and textures in two dimensions. 
2.  Particle mineral analysis (PMA) of larger, coarse crushed core samples
    to determine mineralogy, grain size distribution and spatial
    characterization including liberation of sulphide minerals. 
3.  Electron microprobe analysis (EMPA) for quantitative mineral chemistry
    to determine any solid solution including nickel in pyrrhotite and
    silicates.



Below are stage 1 field stitch images of polished sections made from three
samples of mineralized drill core: 


To view Qemscan Field Stitch Images please click on the following link:
http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/NAN0314.pdf


Two are from the Imiak Hill zone and one from the Spotty Hill zone. These images
are colour maps of the minerals in the polished sections. While the field of
view is relatively narrow, they do show important textures and characteristics
of the mineralization. For each image the total percent mass of each mineral
species identified is listed in a table below the image.


Imiak Hill sample L163163 contains almost 15% pentlandite and the majority
appears to be coarse to medium grained with lesser amounts occurring as
exsolution flames in pyrrhotite.


Sample L163164 also from Imiak Hill contains a large amount of chalcopyrite in
addition to pentlandite. In this sample the majority of the pentlandite is
associated with chalcopyrite and is medium to coarse grained.


The upper left half of Spotty Hill sample L163593 is dominated by pyrrhotite
with intercumulus orthopyroxene. Pentlandite occurs as fine grains and
exsolution flames in the pyrrhotite.


Qualified Person

All technical information in this release has been reviewed by Dr. Mark Fedikow,
P.Geo, who is the Qualified Person for the Company and President of North
American Nickel Inc.


About QEMSCAN

QEMSCAN is an acronym for Quantitative Evaluation of Materials by Scanning
Electron Microscopy. It is an automated system that it is configured to measure
mineralogical variability based on chemistry at the micrometer-scale. QEMSCAN
utilizes both the back-scattered electron (BSE) signal intensity as well as an
Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDS) signal at each measurement point. EDS x-ray counts
or spectra are used to assign mineral identities to each measurement point by
comparing against a known mineral species identification program (SIP) or
database. Mineral speciation, quantitative modal abundance and elemental
deportment can be determined. Textural information such as core mapping,
particle and mineral grain size and shape, mineral liberation, mineral
associations, porosity, and matrix density can be captured and reported
numerically and graphically.


About North American Nickel

North American Nickel is a mineral exploration company with 100% owned
properties in Maniitsoq, Greenland, Sudbury, Ontario, and the Thompson, Manitoba
nickel belt. VMS Ventures Inc. (TSX.V: VMS) owns approximately 21M shares of
NAN.


The Maniitsoq property in Greenland is a Camp scale project comprising 4,983
square km covering numerous high-grade nickel-copper sulphide occurrences
associated with norite and other mafic-ultramafic intrusions of the Greenland
Norite Belt (GNB). The 70 km plus long belt is situated along, and near, the
southwest coast of Greenland, which is pack ice free year round. 


The first two discoveries of economic mineralization at Imiak Hill and Spotty
Hill confirm the high value and potential of the GNB.


The Post Creek/Halycon property in Sudbury is strategically located adjacent to
the producing Podolsky copper-nickel-platinum group metal deposit of Quadra FNX
Mining. The property lies along the extension of the Whistle Offset dyke
structure. Such geological structures host major Ni-Cu-PGM deposits and
producing mines within the Sudbury Camp. 


The WIC is situated 13 km southeast of Sudbury and 1 km south of Trans-Canada
Highway 17 at Wanapitei. It is an elongate 5.6 km by 2.4 km layered mafic
intrusion trending northeast-southwest that comprises nickel-copper-PGE
mineralized gabbro-norite and a gabbro "Injection Breccia Zone". 


Statements about the Company's future expectations and all other statements in
this press release other than historical facts are "forward looking statements"
within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and as that term defined in the Private
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company intends that such forward-looking
statements be subject to the safe harbours created thereby. Since these
statements involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change at any
time, the Company's actual results may differ materially from the expected
results. 


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: 
North American Nickel Inc.
Evan Sleeman
604-986-2020 or Toll free: 1-866-816-0118