Let's be clear about what type of resource this is. It's a high...

Let's be clear about what type of resource this is. It's a high grade, thin veined deposit that likely runs very deep underground. It was never the type of thing that was going to be mined as an open pit. Even if we leave the top 20m before commencing stopes it's hardly going to effect the resource but it does provide minimal surface disturbance. These kind of mines can replace stoped areas with the dirt that is processed to tailings. Can be done with very minimal enviro impact.

We have 20km of strike. This likely goes at least 500m underground. Let's assume a 2m thickness.

That is 20,000 x 500 x 2 x 2.75 = 55Mt of ore. If you assume a 5ppm 5E deposit (ala 5g/t) that is around 8.8Moz. That is by no means small.

All this is speculation until we can drill. But saying this is no chance of being a sizeable deposit and that not being able to mine OP inhibits economics shows that some people have no concept of what this is and was always going to be.

Permits completely different story and I have no unique insight or understanding on that.