Wow... it would be justified to underline the whole DL response!
It does raise the one thing left in my mind that puts our buyout premium at risk: so many other buying opportunities for 'buy versus build'.
That said, SC checks off each and every single item on DL's list of wants for a project that 'we would have to live with for a long time':
-
Long life? - yep! SC at it stands will be minium 25 yrs PLUS the missing 1/3 of Paramount PLUS the "mine beneath the mine" of higher grade at 500+ depth, one or more of the next 4 named zones have some promise
- Significant enviro issues - nope
- Geopolitical risk - nope. I think SC could even be embraced by the Green Party let alone the NDP (our deal should be done before the election anyway)
- Resource nationalism - nope. We watched Japan buy up huge natural gas holdings in NE BC this spring
- Health and safety - BC arguably equal or better than the best in North America
- Labour laws - TCK seem happy enough with its other operations in BC
- Violence - nope.
I would add:
- trained/educated workforce
- access to cheap energy (NTL)
- water supply
