Ann: Quarterly Activities Report, page-71

I disagree. If Tandayama is a half decent open pit, then that will be mine number one, making it much easier to creep up on the higher capex Alpala block cave. Yes that is a big if, but we're half way to a YES with the announcement that they hit fairly shallow qd10 lookalike mineralisation there. I guess we find out soon. Also a pit would start producing years earlier than a cave, so they're prepared to spend a year looking to maybe save three. It is also a more plausible "go it alone" strategy than the previous big capex approach - an approach better suited to a major. The cave is still as viable as it ever was, for all we know. As well as the rest of the Cascabel targets, they really need to know about Rio Amarillo...it's close enough to have synergies etc.

BHP's corporate motto used to be "Right - The First Time." I don't think we have seen that here.