"I agree that this is just a game for Finskiy. But guys like him can get pretty competitive none the less."

I disagree. If you followed the Polyus 'soap', you know that guys like Prokhorov are under great pressure to perform and that pressure comes directly from the Kremlin. Finskiy reports directly to Prokhorov, so this is not a game. They are seriously under Russian Government pressure to make mining a big earner for the Russian economy. I wouldn't be surprised if it is part of a big plan to ensure Russia gets more powerful in the 21st Century by acquired as many mines as possible. It is similar to what China is doing. This is not just some rich guy playing with money.