"are you suggesting that this is being used as an excuse and that they are dragging  their feet for some reason? Or that there are other, unspoken reasons that a deal has not been concluded?"

No!  I merely disagree that the state of the copper market in recent times should have anything much to do with whether or not Earp Ridge can find a partner.  I am not a mining engineer, nor a geologist, but I am somewhat of a mining economist, having been a student of this market for more decades than I care to mention.  I am at a disadvantage in saying that, however, as I am not a company insider. 

Let's see what my review of news releases suggests over the next weeks.