Of course Teutracker there is another possibility, but we would need access to a few numbered Swiss bank accounts and names of their beneficial owners in order to confirm it..

It always seemed odd to me that GFI fought for a couple of years to get a minor water use permit in order to expand their Choco 10 mine output and were refused. Within weeks of Rusoro taking over that mine the permit came through apparently without the slightest problem.

Some may say that was political bias, but anyone who has dealt with Russian companies knows that graft is part of the culture and they expect to pay and pay well to "grease the wheels". With so many minor bureaucrats in key positions to stall or approve the multitude of regulations and permits, coupled with the past reputations of officials in the country, being "squeeky clean" may seem to be the best policy when dealing at the top, but it gets you nowhere when working through the lower levels.

Obviously I have no evidence on this but it is always possible and it is a simple answer to what seems to be an otherwise unexplainable action.