I think you raise an interesting point
@chan4stocks and one that I don't think has been adequately answered, at least not read by me.
If the CEO was on 1.5M and a large chunk of that was shares, say 30% - 50%, my opinion is that in this stage of the game it's still over paid, but there's an arguement that begins to form for the affirmative.
But that not being the case, I think it tells a story.
He wants to have his cake AND eat it too.
1.5M for a junior explorer is near on unprecedented (don't compare it to QANTAS or anything else like that - that's disingenuous and outright stupid) but, a salary of that nature demands results, and outstanding results at that.
If you back yourself for those results, do what's in the best interest of the company and it's owners, the shareholders. In this awkward stage...take your 1.5M but take a big chunk in shares - it'd send a message.
You back yourself, or you don't.
The message I get is he doesn't back himself to get this up but demands a wage that suggests he should.
The president of the free world gets paid less than half of this CEO's wage.
That's madness.