fox davies quits, page-37

May be being a little harsh on JT but the SynCon is hardly a hard sell it should increase tantalum revenue by 25% and save it's customers money by simplifying the supply chain. This of course should please the banks and H C Starck. The fact that a lot tantalum is being smuggled should also help JT as with Talison now no longer supplying people will gradually start to ask where it is all coming from.

As for raising money in this environment it is the fact that he has taken so long that has put him in this position. Seems he thought he had all the time in the world and could keep coming back to the private investor when ever he run short of money and now he has to keep things going by reaching into his own wallet. If there was not so much at stake i would be laughing at the irony.

One thing JT has been right about is the weakness of Talison. JT and Gip obviously understood their (Talison's) tantalum situation well but that reflects Gip's traditional strengths in the technical and mining technology sides to me rather than any business shrewdness.

Also i would not say JT is incapable of making a deal looking back he has done deals (with H C Starck, the Egyptians, the IFC, a deal for the Feldspar, Steller resources over Heemskirk maybe even one with the German government to get the Guarantee) but he his always looking for that deal that is a bit better the perfect deal.

One bright spot is this time he will have to do a permanent deal and will not be able to go looking for a slightly better one.

Robert

P.s Transmeta is not an unknown face he was in one of the Photo's from the minesite!