Mark, Just for purposes of discussion, let's say Naxos has ANY metal at all. And it's at least worth mining. There are, as you say, a number of people who have had significant financial and brainpower and pure sweat poured into this who will or will not benefit depending on just which method of recovery were to be used. I would assume that for anyone discovering the right mix of treatment and processing to unlock the FL ore, their compensation would have to be based on successful implementation of THAT process specifically. Having said that, J/L have been paid for their time all along. So they are not out any money so far as being paid for their work. What they, and anyone tied to them WOULD be out, is getting a much bigger bonus, let's call it, for cracking the code.
So, it all comes down to integrity and professionalism...or the lack of it. For those who feel they might not be the winners of the FL prize, they can either accept this reality with grace or they can try to extract their pound of flesh. But no matter what people may or may not be doing, it will matter little IF Naxos does come up with a repeatable and reliable method for recovery, no matter who's it is.
Tom F. |
