"My logic is I would like to see more drilling by both companies before they make the big jump. This I think would maximize shareholder value. Stock would pop on exploration results....thereby raising the stock price to a level, that when it became time to talk consolidation, all the companies are starting at a higher share plateau. When bidding starts the the rise would be that much higher"

Back at ya, Sam. The most important phrase in the above statement is 'maximise share value'.

Everyone here has,or should have, a value that they hope or plan to get for their shares. Anyone who intends to ride this thing through JV's or amalgamations up to when they start producing ore or a finished metal would be a fool. Any who understand the market knows that the SP will rise to a peak during exploration, and once a decision is made to production , the SP will fall. For that SP to reach the above levels that we hope for, the market will have to see us as an economically viable entity. End of story.

For us to be economically viable will require a certain definate amount of mineralization, whether nickel, copper, chrome or whatever. If we accept that either one or the other here will, by continued drilling, eventually reach that point, then all we have to do is nothing and wait for the event?

OR do we amalgamate the two companies into one, combine the orebodies and suddenly find we already have an economic entity?

Do we wait 3 years for all the drilling to be completed because that is the moral route after all the mudslinging between companies, or do we combine and attain our goals in 3 months? I'll take the 3 months as I am looking forward to buying that first round of dirty monkies this January in the tropics.

Regards

K