RE:RE:Q1 2018 & PDACClearly PDL would be very interested in the RV deposit since it is a PGE deposit. Stranger things have happened but here are some factors.
1. Would they have the ability to raise that much money? The cost would be in the range of $1-2B minimum just to buy it. Then they would need more money to build the infrastructure.
2. They do not own a smelter/refinery. They currently ship their milled ore to Sudbury from Thunder BAy for toll processing. Glencore & Vale are just down the road from RV.
3. Glencore and Vale are both large enough and rich enough to fund the initial studies to prove economic viability. Glencore is currently conducting the metalurgical evaluation and so have the inside track. A formal 43-101 compliant feasibility study would be very expensive. Glencore can do the necessary studies in house without going through the formal 43-101 studies.
4. If PDL made an offer for RV it would quickly be matched by a larger company as was the case when INCO (Vale) purchased Voisey's Bay from Diamond Fields (Robert Friedland). A bidding war would quickly ensue.
5. Actually it is very likely that a bidding war will take place for the RV deposit in any event. The South African miners are all wanting to expand operations to North America due to depleting reserves and political unrest in SA. But more importantly the RV deposit is very rich in PGE and Gold. (There are other payable metals as well). At a time when the Sudbury area mines are getting deeper and more costly to mine a rich deposit this close to existing infrastructure becomes extreamly attractive. Vale recently closed it's Frood Mine and is spending a lot of money refurbishing another of it's older mines (South Mine). Glencore's main operating mine near Sudbury is quickly running out of ore.
These are simply my opinions based on many years of close observation of mining operations in the Sudbury area mining community. Please do your own due dilligence.
GETaLONG wrote: I know that North American Palladium Ltd just came out of bankruptcy & restructuring, but can't they be a 'logical' suitor for River Valley?
PDL has been on a roll for the last 3 weeks ~ hitting new 52-week 'High's' almost daily. What say they 'gurus'? Go NAM . GaL