Ultimately this is a project that should never have been given...

Ultimately this is a project that should never have been given the green light given the prior history of this area, no matter what the DFS claimed at the outset. I believe that even if the OBM Board/management have displayed a level of incompetence, this in itself does not have any legal recourse. However, if they could be shown to have been negligent in the the course of the project due diligence and ramp-up this could have ramifications, but legally it would be very difficult to prove.

I think for marginal projects such as this, especially one's with an extremely chequered history, the DFS standards and due diligence requirements need to be of a much higher standard than normal for the benefit and protection of investors. Unless stringent requirements are met, I do not believe projects such as this should be allowed to proceed. Don't know how it could be legislated, but regulatory oversight is currently lacking.

You could argue that any Resources project creates jobs and supports local business and contractors which is true, but the flip side of the coin is the reputational damage to the industry and massive destruction of shareholder wealth.