North American Nickel Expands Disseminated and Stockwork Mineralization Associated with a Footwall Embayment Structure on its Post Creek and Halcyon Properties; North Range, Sudbury Basin

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Sept. 16, 2011) - North American Nickel Inc. ("NAN") (TSX VENTURE:NAN)(OTCBB:WSCRF)(CUSIP: 65704T 108) is pleased to announce that ongoing field work on its Post Creek and Halcyon properties has resulted in the expansion of the recently discovered Footwall Embayment Structure.

President and C.O.O., Mark Fedikow, states, "Our newly interpreted Footwall Embayment Structure and the area of associated stockwork and disseminated mineralization at Post Creek/Halcyon is expanding as our field work continues. The embayment now measures approximately 600 x 300 metres, and we have adjusted our 1,500 metre drill program accordingly. The drill program is now underway."

Post Creek Embayment Structure and Associated Stockwork Zone

North American Nickel's ongoing exploration program in the vicinity of the CJ#1 and CJ#2 zones, recently interpreted as a zone of stockwork and disseminated mineralization associated with a possible Footwall Embayment Structure, has been enlarged due to beep mat and general prospecting activities. The zone of brecciation characterized by fragments and inclusions of quartz diorite and partial melt material and mineralized with disseminated pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite, has now been observed in outcrop, historic trenches and in float material for a distance of 600 metres in an east-west direction and 300 metres in a north south orientation (Figure 1).

The general configuration of this zone has evolved from two distinctive linear features (CJ#1 and CJ#2) to an ovoid-shaped area of mineralized breccia that abuts, and partially encapsulates, ground electromagnetic anomalies defined by a recently completed InfiniTEM ground EM survey. In its survey, Abitibi Geophysics have interpreted the CJ#1 and CJ#2 anomalies as "massive to near-massive sulphide mineralization at approximately 55 metres below surface". These anomalies are targets in the current drill program.

To view "Figure 1. The extent of the Footwall Embayment associated zone of stockwork and disseminated mineralization on the Post Creek and Halcyon properties, the CJ#1 and CJ#2 zones and location of proposed drill holes", please visit the following link: http://northamericannickel.com/Theme/NAN/files/Maps/POS%20QD%20Locations%20on%20GE_v001_r1y0o4.JPG.

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 and Chief Operating Officer, North American Nickel Inc.

About North American Nickel

North American Nickel is a mineral exploration company with 100% owned properties in Sudbury, Ontario, Maniitsoq, Greenland and the Thompson, Manitoba mining camp. The Company's initial focus is on two Sudbury, Ontario properties and its Greenland project.

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, which is a major geological control for Ni-Cu-PGM mineralization.

The Bell Lake property in Sudbury 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 Sudbury igneous complex.

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.

The Company has also 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 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.