I'm here Shakey.

Some exciting times coming ahead.

The new board additions/changes indicated to me we are progessing along as planned. Noront needed a different set of skills to keep this moving along.

We'll have this Baosteel agreement coming up before May 2, 2013.

Based on the recent Board additions...can we assume Baosteel will increase their holdings to 19.9%?

"The definitive agreement executed between Baosteel and the Company provides Baosteel with the right to nominate one individual to the Noront Board of Directors, a right to increase their ownership in Noront to 19.9% for a one year period commencing on May 2, 2012 and a standstill provision which expires on May 2, 2013. Baosteel has also been granted a 90-day exclusivity period to negotiate a direct property interest and/or off-take agreement with respect to any of Noront’s properties with such exclusivity period to commence any time prior to production at Noront’s discretion.."

Shakes, there is something about 19 point something... brings back some memories of another 19 point something event.

Here's an interesting example in this link:

http://www.turquoisehill.com/s/news_releases.asp?DateRange=YEAR-4

Ivanhoe mines changed it's name to turquoisehill not long ago.

Please pay attention to the news releases in the link above ....as a possible path we will see.

I think of this example because you can replace Rio with Baosteel and the Mongolian gov't with Our Gov't/First Nations. If you look at the Ivanhoe example ..Rio grabbed 9.5% of Ivanhoe and mentioned we'll increase ownership to 19.7 when there is an agreement with the mongolian gov't. So,THREE years later there's an agreement with the Mongolian gov't and Rio increases ownership to 19.7%.

Noront appointed 2 new Baosteel guys to the board. Did you notice their qualifications?

If we didn't have an agreement with Gov't and First Nations....what would be the point of this board move???? This NR told me we have an agreement verbally or some sort of an "understanding"...and the Baosteel ownership will be increased by May 2, 2013

Read this this below and keep in mind some similarities.

Back in 2006 Ivanhoe had the following NR:

Rio Tinto News Release: Rio Tinto Takes Strategic Stake in Ivanhoe Mines

The first tranche was 9.95% for Rio and then in Oct. 2009 all was good and therefore signed with the Mongolian gov't.... and Rio grabbed the 2nd tranche of the 9.75%.

On Dec. 7 2009

Ivanhoe releases this:

Ivanhoe Mines announces construction budget of US$758 million for development work in 2010 at Oyu Tolgoi mining complex in Mongolia

So, what happened with the share price during all this stuff?

Jan. 2, 2009 the share price closed at :$2.67

July 15, 2009 :closing price $8.20

Dec. 31, 2009 :$13.35

Dec. 7, 2010: $26.68

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My guts are telling me that Baosteel will increase it's percentage to 19.9% BUT also a major will rear it's head. Rio, BHP, Xstrata, Vale..as an example.

We'll have RCF, Baosteel with a nice percentage of the company..which will help keep certain things from happening.

My guts are telling me that this major coming in is the reason Wes Hanson is no longer with Noront.

Ivanhoe did not have a mixed bag of larger investors and here is one more link to read:

http://business.financialpost.com/2012/04/18/friedland-resigns-from-ivanhoe-mines/

Friedland eventually ran out of options for Ivanhoe and had to walk away from a 10 billion dollar company. I think Noront has planned things well and I believe they will walk when THEY chose to walk... not to be pushed out by ONE player.

....see....I'm still alive.. He He.