Alright just sharing some more of my spitballing / speculation.
When I'm working with dates I always like to map things out visually on planners/calendars/timelines.
Here is my rough record of events / future assumptions for our current direction. (don't quote me on exact dates)
I am running on the assumption that IF there is a deal, it will be sorted prior to the ICSID.
Doing so:
- has huge value to DRC for changing their images as a corrupt country that's bad for business (key to US invovement)
- has huge value to potential buyers as every step more that AVZ fights secures their own position and raises the buy-in required for new parties
- pre-empts any deal with with CATH
I am also running on the assumption:
- that now US interest is public and serious deals are being considered, there is some time pressure to preempt a counter proposal from the Chinese
- RIO and Kobold both have already done their due-diligence on the resource and are thoroughly aware of its potential.
- Any deal would require an EGM, and despite time pressures 4 weeks notice is still appropriate.
- There needs to be at least a week or 2 after the EGM to actually finalise and sign an agreement.
- Even if an agreement were close, the board would not agree to 'postpone' any hearings, because they know they would be roasted alive by shareholders.
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So, this is what the key events over the past/future couple of months look like on a timeline.
For me, we are entering into the period where IF there were a serious offer, I would expect it to be made.
It's not direct, but it roughly lines up with the mysterious "10th of April" so I wonder if that had something to do with the BoD imposing a timeline to enter serious discussions?
The hopeful part of me would speculate that the board has already been talking numbers with these parties.
News stories about a deal between DRC and US being 'close' would also suggest this. Even if they haven't yet
made an offer, I'm sure Kobold et al know what they would
need to offer to get this over the line, and are proceeding based on that being viable.
Again, all just my rough workings-out because I like to see these things visually but I thought I'd share it here.