Tant,

National is approaching nearly 2 million shares accumulated in Jan/Feb and including these first two days of March, which looks to be more of the same activity.

Why?... is anyone's guess. I could speculate till the cows come home. I used to joke that it could be UMJ's CEO Richard Sutcliffe buying ISM shares on the open market. Or better yet maybe the Chinese neighbors are taking a run at us and accumulating stock secretly at market. ......Afterall, with Nickel romancing 13 bucks/LB, who wouldn't want a large tonnage, lower grade open pittable ore body proximal/next to a crushing/processing mill?

Whatever the reason, it has my curiousity going...... Also I note that the ISM NCIB is dead and has been for a while. It ends/expires very soon.

"The Bid will begin on March 15, 2010 and will terminate on the earlier of March 14, 2011 or such date as the Corporation may complete its permitted purchases under the normal course issuer bid.

As an aside, today's NR by UMJ may or may not draw out an expected counter NR by ISM. I would think so as ISM seems to be very speedy when it comes to keeping shareholders informed on that front. Judging by past actions as well.