Tolling MOU had to be Exclusive and Conditional ( MOU )
The tolling arrangement was exclusive to NFG but was temporarily MOU because the mettalurgy of Queenie was unknown at that time and would need to be compatible with the Pine Cove mill processing capability before final decision to commit.
NFG have recently conducted several mettalurgical tests of 3-4 open pits todate and found to be fully compatible with the enormous capabilities of the Pine Cove mill...Iceberg will report very soon and no diffference are expected.
Toll milling at Pine Cove will soon be locked in by NFG .
An exclusive arrangement was an essential clause by NFG as it prevented MAE from considering consolidative and expanded copper processing needed by Firefky to reach its major expansion of Ming mine copper production....which will come once NFG completes its needed cash flows by tolling Queenie Production or very quickly if NFG acquires MAE as tolling Ming copper adds additiinal revenues for the Pine Cove mill.
MAE , for NFG exclusivity arrangement , required NFG to fund a portion of the Pine cove mill acquisition..
So, rest ye well gentlemen .
As Danny so nicely put it, MAE is in the cats seat