Slammin,
Thanks for posting these pictures. I don't know where they have been, but they sure are interesting. There are definitely pictures of equipment I have never seen before. Then the series of taking the mill site from nothing to what is is now (before the expansion) was really amazing. What all of these pictures have done for me is reinforce and expand my understanding of this operation. It is a very big and complicated day to day operation. I can't imagine how difficult it must be to keep all of this equipment functioning day to day. You know how dirty it is working to take rock and dirt down to powder and process all of that and all of that dust gets into all of this machinery and how hard that has to be to maintain. All of those different machines require different types of expertese to maintain and keep going. Something breaks down, so is there someone on site to fix it or do you have to wait for someone to come out from town, or even Boise. How many parts do you have on site in inventory. (It all costs money.) Does everyone have to sit and wait. This is not an easy place to run. And yet you look around and it is a clean operation. Everything seems to be picked up and in its place. Still they seem to be getting a lot done.
So you have day to day decisions, and then you have the continual expansion and new operations that envolves. The personel required to operate and build all of this. I realize some is done with outside contractors, but that still rquires coordination and working with people. Then you pile all of this on top of what may be a continual shortage of funds, and the pressure coming to work everday must be daunting. But look what has been accomplished.
This doesn't even consider what has been accomplised at the sinker tunnel. Then the hauling operation and all the heavy equipment that is working there. That is more than just sticking the key in the ignition and going.
Then there is the Conditional Use Permit that they have worked on. Then the cyanide operation. All of the public company paperwork requirements that are on-going. That has to be the most difficult part.
And then of couse there is the stratigic planning that has to take place. Keep current stockholders content. (Maybe). Seek new investors. (Like the one(s) that seem to have shown up this week.) Look for financing that doesn't destroy everyones past investment. Figure out how to get all that gold off the mountain and all the permiting and keeping officials happy that is required. Then of course how to bring the share price up. You have to make all these decisions while maintaining the integrity of the company
I know there have been hiccups in this operation, but what they have accomplised really impresses me. Of course I have always been easily impressed.
I just have add a little bit about CQ. He may have started here as a novice, but I would wager that if he left this operation, he would have no trouble getting a job with another mining operation. He has put together and maintains a really comprehensive operation and he should be proud of it. His value to another company would be high. Surely the decision to continue operating with only 20% or so of the gold and silver retrieved wasn't all his. I went to school at Cal Poly in California, and their motto is "Learn by Doing". Well Chris has done and learned a lot. He surely is more valuable now than he was when he began. Was it the right decision to put him in this position in the beginning, I don't know. But in my opinion, it is probably the right decision to keep him there now.
Calfarmer.
