Delta, I recognise that "nearology" is a punter's term. But as...

Delta, I recognise that "nearology" is a punter's term. But as you point out, it is also useful in a scientific sense - "scientifically it is endowment and clusters of deposits." Your terminology suggests to me that you have some background in exploration, as do I.

My interest in the Fraser Range/Albany belt is due to the recognition that major new discoveries have a dramatic impact on the way that previously disregarded ground is now seen. It is evident that the likely host lithologies and structures for deposits similar to Nova are widespread in the Fraser Range/Albany belt. Not very much work has been done to date, but you can be sure that a lot of thinking and a lot of exploration work is being focused on the area right now.

Given that it is known that deposits of the style of Nova generally occur in clusters and given that a lot of work is now being done, I think we might expect further discoveries before too long. SIR is clearly very well placed, but so are some of the other companies.

In reviewing the quarterly reports of the various companies, I have confirmed my favourable view of SIR, BOA and MAT and am inclined to upgrade SFX on the basis that the Symons Hill Fault looks like it continues south through their ELA, where there may also be the favourable lithologies. Their geochem is interesting too.

I neglected to include ENT in the rankings. I think that I would rate it as Rank 3 at the moment on the basis that while it is in the area, it is less directly related to the same lithologies and structures as the stocks ranked 1.

A stock I neglected to mention is ORO. It is a bit similar to SGQ and WCN in that it is sort of related, but not directly related to the Fraser Range/Albany belt play.

To address another point made by a poster on this thread. As a SIR shareholder, I am very interested in their success. But I am also interested in discussing other stocks that have the potential to succeed in the area. Is there somewhere else than the SIR thread that we should be discussing the other players in a general sense?