In Mining, Some of the Strongest Signals Aren't Found in Drill Core
Resource investors are trained to focus on the obvious signals. They study drill intercepts, assay grades, and commodity prices, then attempt to determine what a deposit might ultimately be worth. Yet some of the most revealing information in mining arrives long before a resource estimate is published. It appears in the structure of a transaction, in what sophisticated parties agree to accept, retain, or defer when a deal is signed. Cash creates a clean exit. Equity, royalties, and staged earn-ins preserve exposure to future upside. The people closest to an asset often reveal their ...