North American Nickel Reports First Assays and Gives Exploration Update

"11.03 m of 3.07% Nickel Intersected at Imiak Hill and First Intersections of Semi-Massive Sulphides at Spotty Hill and Heavily Disseminated to Semi-Massive Sulphides at P-013"

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Aug 20, 2014) - North American Nickel Inc. (TSX VENTURE:NAN)(OTCBB:WSCRF) (CUSIP: 65704T 108) (the "Company") is pleased to report that assays are now starting to be received from the drilling program that commenced in mid-June at their 100% owned Maniitsoq nickel-copper-cobalt-PGM sulphide project in southwest Greenland. The Company is also pleased to provide an exploration update for the Imiak Hill Complex (IHC) and from drill testing of regional exploration targets. The 2014 drilling program began in mid-June with one drill rig located at the IHC and a second regional drill rig added in early July. A total of 6,954 metres have been completed in thirty-two holes to mid-August.

Highlights to date from the drill program include:

• Drill hole MQ-14-037 at Imiak Hill which intersected a zone containing high grade massive and semi-massive sulphide veins grading 3.07% Ni and 0.53% Cu over 11.03 m with the strongest interval grading 7.04% Ni over 0.64 metres;
• First intersections of semi-massive sulphides veins from Spotty Hill;
• Regional drill program defines 4 new locations of sulphide mineralization including discoveries at:
  • P-013 containing zones of heavily disseminated to semi-massive sulphides;
  • Pingo (P-149) with intervals of disseminated, patchy to net-textured and stringer sulphides; and
  • Camp Area (P-136) with disseminated sulphides.
• Intervals of semi-massive to massive sulphide veins in several holes at Fossilik.

NAN President and Interim CEO, Mark Fedikow, states: "The 2014 exploration program is progressing well and we continue to intersect nickel sulphide mineralization at both the IHC and regional exploration targets. The intersection of semi-massive and massive sulphide mineralization at Spotty Hill is very encouraging and enhances the grade profile of this sulphide zone. At Imiak Hill, mapping has outlined numerous mylonite zones and the projection of these structures into the sub-surface is helping to understand the controls on sulphide distribution. In addition, new sulphide intersections at a number of our regional exploration targets continue to provide evidence of a large magmatic event with related nickel sulphide mineralization. I look forward to the future assay results from Spotty Hill's semi-massive to massive sulphide intercepts, P-013's mineralization and the other strong regional discoveries."

Assay results have been received for five holes completed to test the down plunge extent of the Imiak Hill mineralization as reported herein and provided in Table 1. Figures may be viewed using the link provided with this release: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/NRAUG202014Figures.pdf

IMIAK HILL

Five holes (MQ-14-035 to 39) totaling 1,558 metres were completed to test for extensions of the high grade nickel mineralization intersected at Imiak Hill in 2012 and 2013. All five holes were collared from the same set-up in order to maximize logistics and were planned to test the mineralization at distances of up to 60 metres down plunge the southern extent of the zone (see Figure 1).

MQ-14-035 was drilled to test down plunge and up-dip of previous hole MQ-13-028 (see news release dated November 7, 2013) but appears to have gone over the plunge of the mineralized zone. This hole intersected a wide zone of norite-hosted disseminated sulphide grading 0.18% Ni and 0.06% Cu over 39.36 metres from 165 metres, similar to disseminated hanging wall zones intersected in previous drilling.

MQ-14-036 was drilled to test down-dip of hole MQ-14-035 and intersected a mylonite zone from 264.79 to 266.93 metres. A narrow semi-massive chalcopyrite-rich stringer grading 0.39% Ni and 19.8% Cu over 0.10 metres was caught up within the mylonite zone and is interpreted to be a disrupted edge of the mineralized zone.

MQ-14-037 was drilled to test down plunge and slightly down-dip of hole MQ-13-028 (see news release dated November 7, 2013). This hole intersected a zone of semi-massive and massive sulphide veins and stringers grading 3.07% Ni and 0.53% Cu over 11.03 metres from 220.51 to 231.54 metres including 6.48% Ni and 0.29% Cu over 3.25 metres and 7.04% Ni and 0.25% Cu over 0.63 metres. This intersection is slightly offset to the east of the main zone of mineralization and may represent a second parallel sulphide lens which correlates with the southern end of a very strong electromagnetic (EM) anomaly detected in the borehole survey of this hole.

MQ-14-038 was drilled to test down plunge of hole MQ-14-037 and intersected a massive sulphide vein grading 6.07% Ni and 1.35% Cu over 0.60 metres from 228.95 to 229.55 metres. The sulphide vein occurs within a mylonite zone and is interpreted to be the disrupted edge of the targeted sulphide zone. MQ-14-039 was drilled to test down-dip of hole MQ-14-037 and intersected a fault from 262.1 to 265.45 metres, near the target depth. No significant mineralization was intersected in this hole.

Drilling completed to date, in combination with recent mapping carried out by out by Dr. John Fedorowich of JFSG Consulting, has helped to further define the geometry, nature and controls on the mineralization. The main sulphide lens consists of semi-massive and massive pyrrhotite-pentlandite-chalcopyrite within a steeply south plunging shoot, which is intersected by a mylonite at depth. A second parallel sulphide lens is interpreted to lie immediately to the east of the main lens but requires more drill testing to define its extents. The mylonite zone appears to disrupt the down plunge extent of the sulphide lenses and further drilling is planned to test for potential offsets of the mineralization.

Exploration Update

IMIAK HILL COMPLEX

In addition to the drill program at Imiak Hill, nine holes and the deepening of one hole for a total of 2,394 metres has been completed at the Spotty Hill and Mikissoq (Imiak North) areas for which assays are pending. Multiple holes at Spotty Hill have intersected sulphide mineralization including wide zones of disseminated sulphide and at least one southeast plunging shoot consisting of semi-massive and massive sulphide stringers and veins. Drilling at Spotty Hill continues to test high conductance borehole EM anomalies as well as the down plunge extents of the mineralization. Only two holes have been completed at Mikissoq and both holes intersected country rock gneiss. Additional drilling and borehole EM is planned to try and determine the plunge direction and extent of the mineralization intersected in previous drilling.

REGIONAL EXPLORATION TARGETS

Eighteen holes totaling 3,002 metres have been completed to test twelve regional exploration targets located throughout the Maniitsoq property (see Figure 2). Sulphide mineralization has been intersected in fourteen of the eighteen holes designed to test targets in the Fossilik, Pingo, Camp and P-013 areas for which assays are pending. Highlights include:

P-013 target (MQ-14-066):

• New discovery of multiple intersections of norite-hosted heavily disseminated to semi-massive sulphide over core lengths of approximately 0.5 to 6 metres within a broader mineralized intersection of approximately 131 metres.

P-149 target, Pingo area (MQ-14-041):

• Discovery of a 50 metre long zone of norite-hosted disseminated sulphide (1-5%) including a 0.5m interval of patchy to net-textured and stringer sulphide (10-20%) at the downhole extent of the disseminated zone.

P-136 target, Camp area (MQ-14-048):

• Discovery of a 42 metre long zone of norite-hosted disseminated sulphide (3-5%)

Fossilik area (MQ-14-053, 54, 57 & 59):

• Narrow (centimetre to decimetre scale) semi-massive and massive sulphide veins occurring over core intervals of up to approximately 4 metres.

Borehole EM surveys have been completed in thirty-one of the thirty-two holes drilled to date. Interpretation and modeling of EM plates is on-going and is being used to plan follow-up drill holes. Geological mapping at the IHC and Fossilik was carried out over a two week period by Dr. John Fedorowich of JFSG Consulting and assisted by NAN personnel. The results of this work include outcrop geology maps and 3D wireframes of structures and mineralization and will be used in ArcGIS and GEMCOM modeling to assist in understanding the structural complexities of the mineralization and to plan future drilling.

Quality Control

Drill core assay results are evaluated as part of a Quality Assurance and Quality Control procedure that includes the use of multi-element, certified standards with known precious and base metal values and blank standards to determine accuracy and precision of analytical results. Core sample analysis was completed by SGS Laboratories of Vancouver, Canada. Three methods of analysis were used to determine element concentrations in the rock samples submitted to SGS. These were 1. A multi-element scan subsequent to a four-acid digestion and ICP/ICP-AES finish; 2. Au, Pt and Pd lead fire assay on a 30 gram sample with ICP-AES finish; and 3. Samples with >1.00% Ni or Cu were re-analyzed by Sodium Peroxide Fusion ICP-AES calibrated for ore grade detection limits.

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, President and Interim CEO, North American Nickel Inc.

About North American Nickel

North American Nickel is a mineral exploration company with 100% owned properties in Maniitsoq, Greenland and Sudbury, Ontario.

The Maniitsoq property in Greenland is a Camp scale project comprising 3,601 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 >75km-long belt is situated along, and near, the southwest coast of Greenland, which is pack ice free year round.

The Post Creek/Halcyon property in Sudbury is strategically located adjacent to the past producing Podolsky copper-nickel-platinum group metal deposit of KGHM International Ltd. 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.

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.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

John Roozendaal, Director

North American Nickel Inc.

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