Yes, I do respect that his hands are tied right now and that above all he must be loyal to his principals. Him saying that we’d “know more” later on seems to indicate that there is indeed SOMETHING to know.
I’m not smart enough about mining, so I don’t know, but I wonder if our guys are maybe in somewhat of a BOX for some reason; for example, if one COMMENCES development of this district in one way or the other, does it thereafter foreclose different approaches? Deep versus surface/open pit? There must be something that is slowing them down. Are they simply pitching the district for one giant JV with three or four companies and one of them has said that if we start producing the Caren then it would spoil the deal? A couple years back we were on the cusp of production, then it is halted for safety reasons, and then we hear NOTHING for a couple of years. If I had made a promise and then was required by governmental authorities to make some safety fixes, I think I’d be resolved to show my shareholders that I am a man of my word (e.g. 25,000 ounces per year, etc.) and would be constantly updating them on this particular issue. Integrity. Admittedly, the safety fixes might have taken some time to complete (finally completed this past December?). But I would have been updating my shareholders all along as to status on the fixes and then most certainly when it was completed. Yet, we hear nothing. My opinion, something else is going on (which our guys are not free to discuss or even disclose) - and I’m just not knowledgeable enough to be able to put together the other possibilities. Considering the investment of our guys into the company to the tune of many millions of shares and at 5-10 cents per share (a few admittedly at about 1.5 cents from Quijano), Hochschild already buying into it, and the number of hectares involved, my bet is it is something very positive. I will definitely be looking forward to the day I no longer have to speculate as to these issues.