Thanks Krombacher, so my idea of borderline profitable is like yours.
I've been thinking that the Chinese don't need a mega-find to get rich, they just need to squeeze out enough to add to their domestic supply and justify their costs. Also their time frame is decades, whereas a commercial company is looking for profits in years.
Therein lies another reason for delay after delay. Tough negotiations for sure.
" Of course, the big question is, how much do they forfeit their rights for? If we knew the answer to that question, then we could get a good valuation of the JDZ blocks. "