I've never understood exactly how folks figure that Tck pulls strings with Cuu. We share our data, and Elmer said that the TCK folks are top notch and they have a good relationship. Tck views our NR's and our data. I think that is about it until we drop BFS on them. TCK may have guided us a bit on the BFS related drilling and exploration of the SC deposit but I can't see how they can direct us on our 100% owned lands.

I don't think Galore is part of our scenario with TCK. TCK will need big partners with both projects and each project is on a different timeline. For TCK to find a partner interested in both projects would be great in terms of the synergies and cost savings but to get that all to to align seems too constrictive. (i.e. 5 companies might like one of the projects but not all 5 will like both SC and Galore together).

Novagold's 50% in Galore is Novagolds's to sell and I don't think TCK can really stand in Novagold's way very much and pick and choose who it sells to. Novagold has its own selfish interest at stake, its own shareholders to think of, and other projects to concentrate on.

Teck already has a dominate, strategic position in the area with Galore, Teckland and it's interest in Schaft. I would argue that TCK would want different partners for both projects so TCK's weighting in the area remains clearly dominant. If they bring in a bigger company into these projects in the Golden Triangle, they start to loose a lot of that leadership. With Teck's home grown status in BC, I think they will want to leverage that clout (favourable political and public sentiment over a foreign multi-national) via its leading stake in the Golden Triangle.