nbeans: "Maybe JJ will accept a public apology from you."

Or maybe he will admit he lied about the mining data "fact" claim?

This is an interesting topic, I'm glad you've pursued it. Did you know that usually calling someone a liar is not considered defamation? Said with malice and reckless disregard for the truth may be defamatory and the penalties can be steep, perhaps upto $100,000.

The problem is that JJ would need to prove (i.e. the onus is on him) that he did not lie. He has repeatedly refused to corroborate his claim despite ample evidence that the claim is false. A claim of fact requires proof. If JJ said someone told him i.e. hearsay or if it was his opinion or he mis-spoke, it was easy for him to correct this. Instead he has repeated his claim and despite promising to corroborate it, he has not done so.

A reasonable person would conclude that JJ is not telling the truth.

It's a good lesson for all who post on forums / message boards (including facebook, etc.). If you make statements that you have no idea above the veracity and you do so with malice, you run the risk of defaming and the courts have plenty of case law to dish out harsh penalties (both general and aggravated damages).