RE: Mr Birch I pared back my position a few weeks back...took my lumps but was able to recoup a bit as I used the funds to pile into GER and CIO just before they both popped. Still sitting with a couple 100K, this one has certainly been a disappointment and in retrospect I will admit to myself that I misjudged the country risk here. Still, if everything had of come to fruition like I had hoped it would I still think GDX had the potential to be a big winner. Obviously we are out of scratch so a roll back is inevitable, but if management can sit tight until the necessary permitting is obtained, then proceed with the rollback and a new PP to finance extraction...then maybe the cash generation can go back into exploration at both El Pato and El Arco, a lot of maybes and a lot of risk. If El Pato ever becomes a cash generator I wonder how such a small company like GDX could possibly hope to secure the project in such a violent juristiction. Just look at THO and the depth of their problems. Looks like we had a mini pump earlier this week and perhaps some more astute investors seized the oportunity to vacate their position, but lets face it...a couple million shares changing hands = a mere 30 g`s, whoopie. Now the volume dries back up and we go to sleep again until any NR is considered, insider buying is always a good sign and perhaps an attempt to run up the SP in hopes of securing a PP but my guess is a 1 for 5 reverse split, establishing a 5 - 6 cent SP, then a new PP @ a nickle.....then what, the retailer gets creamed again. In the end we look in the mirror and onlky have our own humility to look back at us.