Very interesting theories there golf. Great post. The hope that these ideas bring are welcome, at least to me. I've been in this for 10 years myself and added during the lows to reduce my ACB so I'm not selling anytime soon like most here.

I was thinking about the Galore PFS delay. If the SC PEA had that recommendation to find synergies and cost reductions with Galore it only makes sense that the Galore PFS would have the same in return. And that may be the delay, as some SC uncertainties may play into the calculations for Galore.

Those articles you cited brought back memories of the bloated capex at Galore. Yes, it was initially underestimated but once reality set in Novagold walked from the project (5.6 B capex at last count in 2011, with the tunnel). I can imagine that Teck will find whatever efficiencies it can at Galore, building on lessons learned at QB2 and Highland Valley, as it has done for SC. Such efficiencies aren't trivial, and within Teck's wheelhouse. Galore is a huge deposit but with a big capex, so reducing that through any efficiencies it can find, including BONUS synergies with SC will enhance the bottom line for both deposits.

I'm thinking Newmont is the partner of choice for Teck on SC. So thanks to Don Lindsay's CUU starvation strategy, Teck is now pinched between advancing SC (for the benefit of Galore and partner) but in so doing costs Teck more to get rid of CUU. Newmont won't care about increases to Teck's costs to buy out CUU as that's Teck's mess to clean up.

Just some thoughts this AM, happy to hear rebuttals and further thoughts from others.

K