RE:Accretive AuEq. GrowthGreat point, SilverMount...IMO, the obsession some people have with the share count reveals a misunderstanding of First Mining's business model. FMF is not a mining company, it is a MINERAL BANK.
A mining company issues new shares in order to raise money for exploration, infrastructure, production, whatever. The money may or may not enhance per share value. It depends on what they do with it, and whether or not drilling or whatever they spend it on pans out. Hence, investors have wisely learned to watch the share count like hawks for any sign of dilution of value in the shares they hold.
OTOH, every single share that FF has issued has increased per share value - in some cases, to an extraordinary degree - as indicated by the ounces/share ratio. And that doesn't include future increases in each property's reserves or resource, not to mention future increases in the price of gold.
Shareholders should be happy so many shares have been issued, because it means every one of their shares is now worth more.
True, now that the pot is nearly full and the price of gold is rising, it's time to start making deals and enhacing the value of what has already been acquired. But the company can do that from a much higher share price (and with much less, if any, dilution) because of the increased value per share that it has created.