We are almost at the April deadline, at which point the situation will change. Cliffs must have had that in mind with the timing of this application.

It is possible they are hoping for government pressure in their favour, as they normally would expect from the way things work in the States, where lobbying is critical in this sort of situation. Could the Federal Govt force the issue? I suspect Harper would back big business preferably, if he could.

Perhaps you are right, BJay, and this is for the benefit of their own shareholders who will expect them to explore every possibility before making an offer for KWG. KWG must now detail everything they have done to advance the railway project, with the engineering study by Kirk Odegard(sp?) and the soil/substrate sempling they have done. That can only be good, and dispel any idea that KWG has simply claimed a long strip and sat on it in dog-in-the-manger style. I have seen that opinion expressed by a poster on the NOT board, and I am sure CLFs US shareholders are equally ignorant.