The drill was there. It was pulled mid-season and stopped. It was removed. It was brought back in, did nothing, and removed again.

I can confirm this. This summer I spoke to Elmer about the camp closing and then drills being set-up again (before being pulled again). He explained that the drilling would be to prove up what was considered waste (only today I understand).

So I'm 100% sure they knew and that it was their intention to infill drill and prove up the inferred. Even if it was mid-season, this could have been part of their 2012 exploration program and could have started at the beginning.

At that point in the Feasibility, they knew inferred would be charged as waste. This was no surprise to them.

Elmer knows the exact locations of the apparently 10 shallow holes that would hav eto be drilled to prove up the 171m tonnes. This would have been cheap vs unlocked value. The Resource Estimate would have been quickly upgraded since the 171m tonnes is inside the same mine pit.

But...they pulled the drills...

Only thing that makes sense :

A) They didn't want to spend more money (drilling, updated RE) knowing that all they needed was a positive Feasibility to trigger Teck, and they know Teck knows the inferred is miniralised. And since Insiders own 65% they can say yes or no to any offer.

B) Teck said don't bother