---

|CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO                                
|---------------------------------------------------------
|RULE 13a-14 OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF
      1934,
|AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO                                   
|SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002            

I, Rick Van Nieuwenhuyse, certify that:

|1. | I have reviewed this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of
      NovaCopper Inc.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|-- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|2. | Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any
      untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
      material fact necessary to make the statements made, in
    light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the
      period covered by this report;                               
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|3. | Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and
      other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all
      material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash
      flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this
      report;                                                
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|4. | The registrants other certifying officer(s) and I are
      responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and
      procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and
      internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act
      Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|   | a)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|   | b)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|   | c)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|   | d)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|5. | The registrants other certifying officer(s) and I have
      disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over
      financial reporting, to the registrants auditors and the audit committee
      of the registrants board of directors (or persons performing the
      equivalent functions):                                     
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|   | a)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|   | b)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

|Date: | April 9, 2013                         | 
|----- | ------------------------------------- | 
|      |                                       | 
|By:   | /s/
      Rick Van Nieuwenhuyse       | 
|      | Rick Van Nieuwenhuyse                 | 
|      | President and Chief Executive Officer | 
|      | (principal executive officer)         | 

---