FNI is in the same boat as LBE... FNI has higher grade width intersection, which aid in the actual mining costs, but they also need to extend one of the shafts to reduce ore handling and increse efficency and production.

The big advantage LBE has is the mill... Thus concentrating the ore and reducing smelting and hauling costs.

If FNI's ore was added to the production of LBE the mill could work closer to production... FNI would have ower smelting costs and likely offset the additional transportation costs.. There are synergies here... the nimber crunchers would have to determine if that would be a viable amalgamation.

FNI also has compliant resources ... approx 150 Million tones Ni Eq

The market is very strange right now.... and I would put too much emphasis on the stock price.... Heck FNI is trading at 20% of cash and their assets are given zero market value.

Would be nice to see both these companies continue production,,, They both have assets that compliment one another... together they might become an FNX should Ni prices move back into the teens.

One more comment... Nither company should continue consuming their resource unless they are making a decent ROE... at least 15% That should include all capital, exploration and managment costs... Untill that can be achieved they should both remain closed... No sence providing cheap Ni to industry.

Ni will recove... all pig iron is not profitable and the Latrilite ore shipments are not even being unloaded in China. Low Ni prices are an aberation which won't last long.

JMHO