Ann: Updated Target Market Determination, page-14

They raise the money and share the money among brokers, promoters, drillers, other contractors, the government and themselves. Retail shareholders get stories in exchange.

The samples they pick are not random IMO The manganese samples they collected had twice the grade (May be they picked the darkest looking chips?). They did a quick 3c cap raise after the samples were out back then.

The recent gold samples were almost all quartz associated with an artisinal mine. The timing was great too, it allowed sophisticated investors to sell and encouraged retailers to buy.