While the deal is worked out on Schaft and/or the entire BC assets, work on those properties that will be part of CUU 2.0 (if there is one).

Chappy, here's what I don't like about this scenario (if indeed this is what is actually happening). SC is much further along to getting sold than the Az property. If we don't have a firm deal in hand with Teck and are still working on it then we would have wasted a whole drill season if a deal doesn't consumate with Teck. Then who is left holding the bag at this point?

We could now be drilling other targets at this point to make it much more attractive for other suitors if Teck is not willing to ante up. BHP, Xstrata, Barrick etc. are much bigger companies and can certainly drop "several billion" to purchase a quality asset. Money will not be an issue for other companies willing to buy a quality asset in a safe jursidiction but we will have wasted a valuable opportunity to prove up more value if we just cater to Teck and are still waiting for them to pony up. Imho, if we do not have a solid deal in the works with Teck right now then imho, we are making a major mistake by diverting our resources to explore the Az property.

Having said all that I think we do have a deal coming very soon and if not I and many others will be extremely pissed and demand an explanation from ES as to why they are not doing any more drilling in SC.