A buyout is certainly possible, as sinbob points out relentlessly :) The biggies are in need of resources to maintain production, and you don't get much better than SFMI's- high grade, already in production w/ 800k tons of available ore, in the US, near cities and infrastructure, mines in place and ready to be reopened, no permitting problems, a functioning and expandable mill, etc.

I'm pretty sure there have been some NDAs, which are non-disclosure agreements signed when someone has access to confidential information. This may have simply been potential sources of financing or contractors taking stock in lieu of payment making sure of what SFMI has, or it could have been potential suitors. And as was pointed out on the other board, SFMI is working on a 43-101. There are two basic purposes for a 43-101- to show to a source of financing (e.g. a bank) so they know that your project is worth funding, or to show to another company interested in a JV, merger, or takeover. SFMI doesn't need financing, so why are they spending time and money on a 43-101?

A buyout now would have to be quite spectacular- I doubt anything under $5, maybe much more, would even be considered. But a buyout later after SFMI figures out just how much gold and silver they are sitting on might require even more.