Happy New Year I would like to wish everyone on this board has a very happy and prosperous 2012.
While the loss of Osisko, as a partner, is a financial blow, it has at least initoated a more reasonable view on how the Goldboro project should be developed. I have never felt that a large open pit would be the way to go as the deposit geometry just doesn't support the model. However, I do feel that limit pitting can be done locally in areas such as East Goldbrook and west of the ramp portal where the mineralization comes to surface, with decent grade intersections in core. In my opinion the best plan would be a scaleable operation starting off at a faidlt low level of between 700 to 1000 TPD (from either open pit or open pit/ underground sources) and ramping up as ore is developed on various levels underground.
The idea of high grading the deposit is not something I like, and in the long run is not a very bright thing to do. All high grading does is limit the overall run of the mine grade in the long term. Also high grading is expensive due to the sheer amount of deliniation it takes to define the ore and cost to specifically access and develop limited ore blocks. I would rather see the operation looked at as a bulk tonnage underground operation devloped on multiple levels.
Whatever takes place is going to take capital, so managment had better get their act in gear and produce the necessary documents to support a solid path forward proving the viability of the property in some operational scenario, then move towards that goal.
Just my opinion, and we all know the anaolgy for opinions, don't we?
Cheers
Ken