I think you have got to get past the grade of the resource. The important issue is the cost of extraction.
Of course identification of areas of higher grade will reduce the extraction costs dramatically. A doubling of the grade will half the mining and wet processing costs, currently estimated at A$13.71/kg REO. A reduction of A$6.85/kg REO.
With refinery reagents saving and recovery improvement, possibly increasing savings of aprox A$2.00, there could be a cost of only A$11.70 a kg/REO to produce 99% pure bag of TREO.
Further, the Capital Costs (including contigencies) estimated at only A$156.
Finally only 1% of the area of Charlie Creek was used to define the JORC resource and that small area is estimated to provide a 20+ year mine life.
So I have got to agree with your statement: 'They are not flashy but head down, bum up, ticking the boxes.'
I forgot to mention, I would think the funds owed by PUC, are secured by their 45% of the resource. Therefore, I would think they would be very encouraged to find the funds owed to the CUX for the development of Charlie Creek.
I have got to agree rare earths are not the same as mining iron ore in either complexity or volume and may I suggest a crystal ball may not enough to predict the future market for rare earths.
As always DYOR before investing in this stock.
Good to hear from you again Ausheads.
Cheers
Stoops
CUX Price at posting:
3.2¢ Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Held