"The exercise is somewhat humbling and begins to really focus one's thinking on what are real world determinants VS. what is conjecture and speculation. Wes and Mac have no idea what the answers are either. Their job is to make the pot at the end of the multi year rainbow look so big that a major sees the $300 million as the least important number in the mix. That is no small task."
Very very true. However, be that as it may, the stuff is there, the area is huge with only a smattering of holes in a few small areas and look what has been found to date. The odds of there not being many many fold times what has already been found is astronomical, though admittedly possible. The buzz is there because those with the life experience in mining and geology feel the probability is more than favourable. Indeed they have to crunch the numbers as to not take care of business would be reprehensible to say nothing of criminal. Check their numbers they will as things progress... though they have already progressed beyond what we know. My guess is that the African contingent have expressed that they would like to deal but NOT has to prove up enough resource in general to make the total effort worth while given that the majors will not be inclined to throw money at this given that there interest may be in the Cr and the market for that is very delicate presently.
The above copy is speculative and based on assumptions some of which may or may not be true.