I may also add...........prior to 2002 before the POG was moving up and there were not many companies drilling their properties, drills were very easy to get because of the low demand for them. It wasn't hard to find a diamond drill that would work for less than $90/metre because of the lack of work out there for them. However now...... they are paying upwards of $160/metre ( at least in the area I'm from) due to the high demand since every junior out there was well cashed up, and if a company wanted the work done bad enough, they had to pay the price or the drill went somewhere else.

As another poster pointed out, easy financing is gone and only those with the cash will be able to continue. I wonder how much longer the drilling contractors will be able to name their price when there will be much fewer required as many companies will not have the funds to continue. More drilling for less$$ perhaps?

As much as I hate watching the SP fall I am still comforted by the fact we still hold a great asset which will one day be recognized and we are not like some of the others.........in desparate need of capitol in a market where very little is available.

Those are my thoughts anyway.