As the most paranoid member of this board I would like to add my 2 cents on this merger..... because paranoid or not, I knew that we would never see the light of a sunny day at least 5 years ago. I see this as a 3 part play where the retail investor is a total tool and willing fool as follows:

1) Over 1 billion in equivalent ounces and unlimited blue sky potential and stock cannot go anywhere. Trashed. bashed amd harassed - manipulated and naked shorted until the all investor interest is nullified and disgusted. Management is equally frustrated and worn down. Rinse, repeat ad nauseum for 5 years straight.

2). Along comes white knight company that has all the answers to ECU's problems. Management will walk away with 20 to 30 million each and the asset will be willingly transferred over to the this white knight company with relief and approval of all shareholders and management.

3). Further investigation of the white knight company reveals that it is too good to be true. The company was recently formed - has ties to hedge funds and was formed by the Cartel to hoodwink assets into their hands. Within two years, the white knight company is acquired by Pan American or another Cartel Silver interest. These cartel silver companies only goal is to control supply of the metal and dump the metal at the cheapest price possible. Companies like Silver Wheaton and Pan American have no interest in profit.

Think I am just paranoid ? Well IMA Explorations found an over 1 billion ounce mother lode called Navidad about 15 years ago in Argentina It took 7 years for the deposit to be 100 % acquired and turned over to a shady outfit called Aquiline that took the deposit by bribing judges in Argentina and Vancouver. They acquired some data that they claimed IMA used to discover Navidad and then it was declared that even though the data was acquired after the fact, the entire deposit belonged to Aquiline. Crazy legal decision, but true. Aquiline further drilled out the property and proved out much more silver and was then bought out handsomely by guess who ??? ...... Pan American last year.