is this breakout day, page-24

This coud be the start of somehting big!:

Bangkok Post
Friday August 8, 2008

Iron ore licences approved

Former industry minister Suwit Khunkitti quietly approved iron ore exploration licences in three provinces for Nawakun Mining, a wholly owned subsidiary of Australia's Oxiana Ltd, a few days before he left office.

Mr Suwit approved licences for nine out of 26 sites applied for, according to Anusorn Nuangpolmak, the director-general of the Department of Primary Industries and Mines.

The nine sites total 90,000 rai of land in Rayong, Chanthaburi and Chachoengsao provinces.

Nawakun was seeking prospecting licences covering 300,000 rai in Rayong, Chon Buri, Chachoengsao and Chanthaburi. ''The licence would allow them to explore for five years and I expect them to be spending 150 million baht on exploration expenses,'' Mr Anusorn said. The other sites are under consideration.

Apart from Nawakun, another 40 operators are seeking iron ore exploration licences. Mr Anusorn estimated that almost one million tonnes of pig iron could be discovered, which would help secure supplies for local steelmakers.