In Jim Kuiper’s independent analysis of Constantine Metal’s preliminary economic assessment, the possibility of a profitable mine is judged “highly speculative.” Notably, Constantine expects 13% of a mine’s profit to come from waste-stream barite at $220 a ton when the pre-COVID barite price was only $77 per ton. Is this creative accounting? You, the vice president of Constantine, did not specifically address or refute anything in the report, but rather questioned its “rigor or objectivity.” Jim Kuiper’s 35 years in the mining industry and over 20 years as an industry consultant gain him credibility not so easily dismissed. Constantine is selling a complex product, the viability of a mine, in uncertain times and with cheap stocks, about 12 cents per share. Will you have a real dialogue with the public and experts asking challenging questions or will you continue to condemn the motives and credentials of those who pose threats to your professional success? The fisheries and subsistence way of life of Haines is on the line.
Ben Aultman-Moore