Jacki,I like your way of thinking.

Maybe this helps,

Just returned from my trip to China.

First,the Chinese are not allowed to buy junior miners unless there is a mine plus infrastructure.

(Central bank of China will not allow tranfer of funds.)

CITIC (China Int.trust and investment corp) has asked the Central bank to lift these restictions.They feel they are missing opportunities.

Outcome?They will not tell you (This is China).

The chinese have different ways of reaching goals (see my post from a couple of months ago)(What if the Chinese do a Cliffs)?

Cliffs taking the chromite would suit the Chinese very nicely becuase it would free them from USA competition in S.Africa etc.

So longer term it gives the Chinese a foothole in a potentialy very rich and much needed raw materials resource.

So who backs Cliffs?

Now this leaves the major producer/dealer etc(lets call it company X:-}) in a terrible position,they have build their position in the mining ind.on dominance.Will they give this up without a fight?

They have the finance(Whose their main banker?)Right The Rothchilds.

So who is backing Noront?I donot know;-)Do your own DD.

Oh and maybe also very interesting.

-China produces 33% of world steel.

-Chinese gvmt wants 50% of china steel production in the hands of max 10 producers in 2010

and 70% by 2020(forced mergers for scale so thy can compete with the TATA's and Arcelors of this world).

-Chinese stainless steel prod. is 7 million tns py. and will increase by 10 % py.

Its only starting now many more things to come.

Have a good day,

Kind regards,Inca.