RE:RE:RE:Mines and MoneyYep, I was/am that guy, who has been in the business, and, who did that commenting. [Interesting, but I believe it is totally a random coincidence: it's only every few weeks, or so, that I visit this board ... and lo and behold, the very first post that I see is your comment referencing my past comment.]
Anyway, let me add a bit more perspective:
[1] of the total volume of core --- i.e., the ore rock --- at least 98%, and, most likely, closer to 99% is found to be gangue rock; that is, of NON-commercial waste rock, to be discarded in the gangue heaps.
[2] when, for example, a smelter smelts --- is that a word? --- a bar of precious metal bullion such as gold, silver, etc, it is then stamped typically with the numbers 0.9999 fine gold, silver or whatever ... which means that for every 10000 atoms of metal in that bar, they certify that 9999 are that particular metal;
[3] IOW 0.9999 fine is the same as 99.99%
[4] I suspect --- I don't know what assay purity level is required by the Canadian securities body that regulates NI-43-101 --- but, I will assume that the local Mexican assay outfit, per contract with OCO, will also certify to 99.99% purity
[5] In the meantime, the on-site OCO field geologists and engs, who monitor closely the actual coring procedures ... where, as the core is first brought to the surface, depending on their on-site assessment, they inform the drillers, in short order, whether drilling should continue or no ... where afterward, this on-site team then more closely evaluates the core regarding what precise core intervals are to be sent to for assay.
[6] this on-site OCO evaluation --- just as every other such company have their own on-site geo-people for their company coring operatons --- is critical, obviously, because these technies will determine how deep any particular location will be drilled and how much core will be sent off ... and, this, of course, will impact overall timing, cost etc.
[7] here's what I am leading toward: I don't know the precise % --- which can be known only talking with some OCO rep --- but I suspect, through their PRE-assay field assessments --- OCO will KNOW to a level between 99.0 and 99.9% regarding the compostion of the core;
[8] with such info and they can then send the core-halves to the assay shop and can also start fleshing out the OCO in-house 3D mineralization model ... where the final tweeking will be doable only when the full assay results are received.
[9] the overall point being that the OCO team is not sitting on their hands waiting for the final core results; and, as Adam has mentioned, at least twice, OCO most likely will be constructing staged NI-43-101 docs; that is, they will not be waiting for the completion of the entire coring/assay program before creating same.
[10] in closing, a question: it's pretty "obvious" that most likely the Braziles Zone 3DIP anomaly DOES NOT END at the northern extent of the current 3DIP. To me, at this moment, this geological uncertainty --- which, very well could have a major impact on the ST project BUYOUT bidding --- is a MONSTER question. I have seen little, is any discussion related to this uncertainty. Maybe I have missed such comments. Have any readers here seen any such discussion?
PS: BUYERS [observers] BEWARE. on the OCO website, several days ago --- maybe even before that --- there were some core images; with one image in particular showing, contained within the core, some rather large metallic-looking phenocrysts; that is, macro sized "shiny" solid crystals. I understand that these fotos are supposed to be rather benign --- for general public consumption and I will bet that the do not contain the final annotations --- but, they could also be very misleading. Again, I cannot be certain, but, I am willing to bet a good sum that such shiny metallic crystals were/are IRON PYRITE --- i.e., Fools Gold, IOW waste rock --- of which these fotos give the appearance thereof; where, in addition, if, INSTEAD, those crystals were/are really CHALCOPYRITE --- i.e., the desirable commercial Cu-sulfide mineral --- such would suggest a net Cu-content much in excess of 2-3%. [I don't think so.] Further, if that was/is chalcopyrite, I suspect that we would be hearing a bit more regarding this significant drill bit encounter.
PPS: BTW, yes, I do geological-geophysical work in the INDUSTRY, but, my work exclusively is in that of the soft-rock Oil and Gas industry rather than that of the hard-rock base metals; where, in oil and gas we do some work with cores but not nearly as much as do the hard-rock miners. IOW: I am confident that my above comments, in general, are correct, but pls, as is, don't "take them to the bank".
Thanks for reading.
Bonus PPS: speaking of rock, particularly for any fellow Yanks who may be in the reading audience ... what type of music do the Pilgrims prefer?
Plymouth rock!