Juk, I won't argue with you about what constitutes commissioning...

Juk, I won't argue with you about what constitutes commissioning risk and what is just managerial failure, in my mind, it's all part of the risk when it comes to the commissioning of the mine. You are much closer to the action and I bow to your wisdon when it comes to which part of the commissioning went wrong (management).

I'm just glad to hear that you (and apparently 2 other metallurgists) are happy with the way ARU is going about bringing Nolans to production. If memory serves, I think there were one or two geologists invested as well - that also helps to boost the confidence, though it's not really necessary, I watched and listened to ARU's own geo's on site and it was obvious that those guys were genuinely excited about the tenements we have. Whenever I go to a presentation, if I can, I spend time with the geologist rather than the directors - the geo's are not desceptive or slick presenters, they are just interested in what's going on under ground and you can tell after 2 minutes with them whether they believe in the company or not - there is an excitement in their faces and body language that tells you they can see the potential of the find. ARU's geo's were excited, energetic and firing on all cylinders - sparking - they looked like they would work on that site for nothing it was so interesting. A couple of hours spent with them describing the resource at Nolans and Jervois was worth more than all the broker's evaluations in the world. You could see in their eyes and body language that they were on to something - you could hear it in their voices. It was great!

What also became apparent at that time was that ARU had somehow managed to employ geologists who were really good at their jobs. I taught C++ and Java programming for Carnegie Melon University and I'm pretty sure I can spot the difference between someone who's on top of their field and someone who's just coasting. All the guys I've ever met who were at the top of their fields were relaxed, unpretentious, easy-going and able to talk effortlessly about any aspect of their jobs - and once you get them talking, it's like a fire lights in their eyes and their mind's become crystal clear and focused and it's infectious listening to them. Our geo's were like that. I wonder which aspect of our tenements they're interested in at the moment?

Whoops - think I might be rambling on too much. I've had more than a bottle of red tonight (watching the FA cup final) and should probably tone it down a bit. As you can probably tell, I'm keen on ARU (still more than half my portfolio), but I have scant knowledge of chemistry/metallurgy/geology or economics so my opinion is just about worthless. Anyone out there who gets caught up in another poster's enthusiasm aught to step back and evaluate the company for themselves. Sounds like great advise but how do you do that without an understanding of chemistry/metallurgy/geology etc - you have to rely on the opinions of other, which brings me back to where I started - It's great to know that there are some metallurgists amongst the investors who are happy with the way things are going. Every time you post Juk, I read it several times - I value your contributions enormously.

Whoops - rambling again - better stop and go get another drink....