MD's sister, the one who mans the front desk at CPRK, told me he was offered some crazy figure by a China company for the mill, but that he would never sell his dream at this point since he would personally be worth more than the offer. This comment was made Nov 21, 2008, the day I toured the mill.
Now, there are a couple different arguements here.
1) Would that same comment be made today? Who knows, but the stock price was .015 around the time I visited the mill which isn't going to make anyone filthy rich.
2) Would MD take that offer if it was still on the table?
My take on both comments is that I believe MD gets phone calls and offers regularly and chooses not to respond. He has taken a very hard headed approach (lack of communication) and doesn't seem to care about anything but the mill becoming operational.
But put yourself in his shoes (if it doesn't make you vomit). This is his life's work and the entire body of work he has to hang his hat on. Selling now would be short of realizing what he truly believes makes him who he is.
Obviously he isn't a business man, we'll agree with that. And maybe he should look at selling the mill, but what I personally guarantee is that what's in place is worth well more $19M and any mine from Kennecott to the next would love to have these mining rights. Maybe they didn't go after the claims at auction because they thought the land wasn't rich, but MD is proving them wrong with every drilling!
The key is not running out of money and getting someone in there who can truly act as a CEO.
