GD, appreciate your points. Sinivit a hot potato provincially, and likely they had input at that level (because of the environmental damage left by the previous walk away developer). Of course Byron Chan is from Namatanai, across the water on New Ireland, as is his father Sir Julius, the former PM, and long time governor of New Ireland, but the other son Toea (named after the one toea -equivalent to one cent of our (this might answer one of your questions) money, now discontinued....would you name your son after a cent?), lives in Rabaul, as does his uncle Michael, and their source of most money is a company based in Rabaul, though with subbies all over PNG. As you will recall Byron was the former minister who knocked Sinivit on the head, so definitely the historical aspects of Sinivit/Provincial Govt of ENB would have had some influence on that decision. The other question of any tie up between BC and Mungu ( ?) is definitely not for me to comment or have an opinion on. One further point I can and do have an opinion on is that both McNeill Jr and Snr (Torque) very closely involved in the early Wild Dog mine days. My understanding too is that the JORC equivalent for Sinivit may not be quite up to Aust JORC requirements? Interesting that the care taker there was a personal friend/acquaintence of mine responsible with trying to keep the wolves from the door (assets wise) after the developer moved out. All very interesting. Much early geological work done and reports written by David Lynley (? spell) who knew what he was doing, as did Peter. The mine was under financed, under capitalized.....the usual thing. They were producing the gold/silver as a dory, and not a lot came out. When they left explosives and cyanide were left behind, so you can reach your own conclusions. Some of the wide boys may have accessed the explosives.
My gut feeling, apart from all this, is with FNT BC would have been concerned at the capacity issues, not so much technical as financial. Another consideration may have been all the verbals going on in the N>I/ENB area at present over the Nautilus proposals, and some talk of going down the coal track on New Ireland. Who knows.
Regarding your comments on BULAGO I agree....I was very pleased about Anglo, especially as they have been working well with Highlands up above Ok Tedi, where they recently became project managers after a US$25M spend, so far. They are long termers, and their presence says a lot for Bulago.
FNT Price at posting:
1.4¢ Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Held