poor cousin gip, page-8

Bagman,

I only look in occasionally these days I'm afraid, but your post has resonance with me and I fully sympathise with your comments.

I focus on other stocks whilst occasionally glancing in the GIP direction to see if there has been an announcement that might actually be the beginning of something - but all to no avail!

Like you, I find this has been a salutary lesson in looking at ALL aspects of a mining proposition - particularly down-stream. As without a willing, competitive market for product, there is little to support the probability of success, irrespective of the perceived profitability of the mining prospect in isolation.

I have therefore avoided REE miners because of the near total monopoly of the Chinese processors and the almost certain restrictive market available for those who can, at best, provide only an unrefined product.

In contrast, gold, silver, copper, et al, look far easier propositions to assess due to the ready markets and proliferation of smelters, refiners & affordability of in-house metal production.

I may still hold all my GIP shares (for my sins!) but, if nothing else, they serve to remind me to beware of propositions that involve critical metals with limited high-tech processing available. Lesson is learnt!!

Kind regards
CPDLC