Rosehill,

Your post says: "We need a buyer. My hope is that someone like Xstrata comes to the table with an offer..."

I might add the following:

- Bet that KWG has been busy painting this picture with Xstrata on the white horse galloping in to join the crowd. Xstrata is quite knowledgeable about BD deposit since it has been doing the met analysis for KWG (for free?).

- KWG has its eye on BC which is strategically located just next to BD, and KWG has given blatant hint "we have some plan for you, PRB", as indicated in KWG site plan for BD (see KWG board, just before the posts...I may be able to attach this map on the other board either of PRB or KWG, most likely KWG).

- Apart from "being used" by KWG (it would be nice if KWG asked Dave for permission, but this is water down the bridge, just pay Dave some $100+M and all would be forgiven) for dumping the waste rock, etc...that SE corner (bordering BD and perhaps BT to the north as well) has been left alone (no dump planned). Presumably, Frank has mining of BC as well in his grand scheme.

- It would be mutually beneficial to mine BD and BC together (BC= 10M tonnes of DSO stuff is not a shabby deposit), since there is no need to worry about bufffering and the pit can be integrated.

- As an option, Xstrata can come to rescue of CLF (read takevover). CLF is dirt cheap (only SP =27% of the value 1 year ago). For something like the current Mkt Cap plus a 35% premium (= $4 B total ) Xstrata can scoop up the entire thing, including the 70% of BD, all of Consolidated Thompson (CLF paid $4.9 B, and recently took a $1B write down), the connection/Fe off-takes with Wuhan and the Korean SK Network. Fe stocks are in the dump right now, representing a golden opportunity for an opportunist!

You can play this scenario further, but it would be no surprise to see this happenning. If not reacting fast enough, Baosteel could lose this golden opportunity.

goldhunter