Ann: Quarterly Activities / Appendix 5B Cashflow Report, page-17

What ridiculous speculation. No one is funding mines for the sake of it in a resource downturn. Projects are viable or not based on their own merits. The point of raising rates is to reduce employment, one effect within this is a return on equity within a bank with a guaranteed return. Why spend millions opening a mine with a potential return of 6% YoY when you could take it to the bond market and get 5% over 10 years locked in.

Lead, whilst stable, isn't immune from commodity down turns either. Generally speaking demand and thus investment is cycling out of mining. Its a bad time to try to get a foothold into the production market. This isn't a if this isn't funded we will get it scenario it's a rising tide lifts all boats one, and the tide isn't rising.