RE:Hi Alfie...Wango - As you know better than I, the geology of specific lithium containing brines (or in this case soft, soluble rock) seems to be very specific to individual areas, so on one side, I suspect that Cypress and Noram are a little unhappy about their failure to lay claim to all of the land around them but in another sense, may be quite happy that there is now a company adjacent to them that is looking to prove their extraction technology on the same type of geology as theirs. This will give them an extremely local solution to their dilemma of finding the "economic extraction process" for them to be able to realise the fruits of their claims. Both companys, Cypress and Noram, have already invested heavily in their land position and exploration and seem ready to progress their projects so, yes, I think a licensing deal could be in the air. This will be awesome for Enertopia, who, as we know are so close to providing the economic extraction solution.
Perhaps Enertopia now has not only a location for it's pilot plant but also has high grade lithium AND potentially willing "clients" or "partners" for it's extraction technology. Lastly, it is close to infrastructure, has prestigious neighbours and proximity to a local gigafactory to boot!
A master stroke, IMHO!!
As for exploration, the reaction of the market to becoming a one project pony a few months ago when McAllister chose not to proceed on it's inferior, partnered lands elsewhere in Nevada showed that a two-pronged approach to business is favorable so I think that owning land AND having the extraction technology will be better for Enertopia than just having the technology. Whether ownership of these claims still counts as "exploration" I don't know but it has provided a source of material that will generate significant revenue when we produce "battery grade" but will be the supply of material needed to prove the technology (as well as a powerful neighbourhood).
A lot for the market to digest perhaps, and being just ahead of Labour Day weekend may explain the quiet market reaction but I suspect that the market will absorb the relevance of this move in short order, so i think we will see more optimism coming in in the weeks ahead. Bodes very well for shareholders!
Alfie.