I've always considered junior miner stocks as trading vehicles, rather than long term holds. The price moves over a few months can be dramatic - without any change in fundamentals. When you catch a nice run, you can make a lot of money quickly, but the rest of the time they just drift down (until the next run). I did so well in 2009 & 2010, I almost forgot that. 2011 & 2012 have been a healthy reminder, lol.

Right now I'm holding a lot of them, but I'm looking to sell in January, when there is usually more liquidity. After that, I plan to avoid them until there is a clear indication of another good run.