RE: core samplesShould be more assays due, but unless there are some stunners like the last bunch, I think they'll wait to announce them all at once. I think they expanded the drill program by a few holes, so results may not be coming for a while.
I just learned the Minister doesn't need to give his stamp of approval. The law states the project is deemed acceptable if the Minister doesn't raise an objection within 10 days of the MVEIRB decision. That 10 days (assuming they are working days) runs out end of next week and will then be in front of MVLWB for updated Land Use permits and the A Water Permit. It is extremely unlikely the Minister will object (go read his bio). I'd say the odds of the Minister objecting are 0.0000000000000000000000000000000001% (and I may be conservative).
Now we wait to see how quickly the next bunch of Lifers from MVLWB do their jobs. Should have lots of community pressure to issue the permits - TAM is offering extremely high paying jobs and perhaps lifetime employment with big tax benefits to the local governments. That's like dangling carrots in front of horses...
The restart of Pine Point will be the best thing to happen to that neck of the woods since Cominco shuttered Pine Point back in the '80s. You'd have to be an extremely stupid person to sit on the MVLWB and not push thru the permits as fast as possible - but stupidity is probably a job requirement...