North American Nickel initiates exploration on its Maniitsoq project, southwest Greenland

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA–(Marketwire – Aug. 30, 2011) – North American Nickel Inc. (“NAN”) (TSX VENTURE:NAN)(OTCBB:WSCRF) (CUSIP: 65704T 108) is pleased to announce that it has commenced a field campaign to evaluate prospective areas within its 4,841 km²exclusive mineral exploration licence. Electromagnetic anomalies, identified from a recent re-interpretation of a 1995 GeoTEM fixed wing survey, along with other areas of interest derived from compilation of previous work and satellite imagery will be ground checked in order to prioritize areas for helicopter borne time domain electromagnetic (TEM) surveying planned for September and October.

As described in a NAN press release dated August 15, 2011, the Maniitsoq property hosts numerous nickel-copper sulphide occurrences associated with norite intrusions. The only previous drilling on these intrusions occurred between 1965 and 1972. The holes tested exposed mineralization, and shallow geophysical anomalies associated with exposed norite. The average hole length was approximately 45 m, but significant intersections were reported including:

• 9.85 metres averaging 2.67% Ni and 0.60% Cu at Imiak Hill
• 12.89 metres averaging 2.24% Ni and 0.63% Cu at the Fossilik Showing

N.B. These are historical results and have not been confirmed by North American Nickel.

Imiak Hill and Fossilik are among more than 15 large target areas selected by the NAN geological team.

NAN plans to integrate the results from the field program with its existing database of historical work to optimize the upcoming helicopter borne TEM survey. The helicopter TEM system has much higher signal to noise ratios than the 1995 fixed wing survey and the helicopter can better maintain the required altitude above the ground to maximize the detection of geophysical signals from nickel-copper sulphide mineralization.

About North American Nickel

North American Nickel is a mineral exploration company with properties in the Sudbury, Ontario and Thompson, Manitoba mining camps. The Company’s initial focus is on two Sudbury, Ontario properties. The Post Creek property 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, which is a major geological control for Ni-Cu-PGM mineralization.

The Bell Lake property, located off the SW corner of the Sudbury Igneous Complex (SIC), is a 256-acre property that covers approximately one kilometre of the Mystery Offset dyke or MOD. The MOD is interpreted to be an extension of the Worthington Offset dyke which is a 10 to 11 kilometre-long mineralized structure that extends from the southwest margin of the SIC.

The Company also has option to acquire 100% ownership in the Woods Creek and Halcyon properties in the Sudbury area; and has acquired 100% ownership in the high-grade Ni-Cu-PGE South Bay property near Thompson, Manitoba and the large grassroots Thompson North and Cedar Lake properties, which are part of the world-class Thompson Nickel Belt in Manitoba.

North American Nickel also controls a 4,841 square km Mineral Exploration Licence in southwest Greenland with exclusive mineral exploration rights. The principal target is high-grade nickel-copper occurrences associated with norite and other mafic and ultramafic intrusions.

North American Nickel Inc. is a member of the North Shore Mining Group.

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.