There are a dozen or more Assay Labs in Canada with a few of them specializing to some greater or lesser degree. NOT only do they do Assays from within Canada, they do a lot from the USA, Mexico, South and Central America, the Islands, and from around the world. Many companies listed in Canada have been very busy in other Geographic locations and do their Assays in many places, depending on where their exploration work is and the local conditions (Government directives etc.) but also send some work to Canada for quality checking and confirmation Assaying etc.. If the Outlook for exploration continues as is at the moment then expect the bigger Lab companies to do some building out to facilitate the continued and increasing demand for Assaying. In the mean time I am getting to thinking that Noront is satisfied at not getting 'Rush Assays' back as quickly as they should be cause it gives them more needed time to get much planning and deal making finalized before the next big run up in share price. After which the unsigned JV proposals will be worth more to the lucky companies than was the case for the JV's signed before new assay results are released. Also, I imagine that both Noront and the JVing companies will want to know when the actual drilling on the JV property will actually happen, That will require having contracts or agreements with Drillers in place to ensure that what is intended and planed to happens will, in all likely hood, happen and happen when expected. Old Joe