Member Info for 15LIVES

Mr.dt I have to echo your caution regarding the build post stage 2. It seems as if some think once in the bag the construction phase is just a mere formality. Whilst having no civil engineering background I am however experienced with how things from a construction perspective can go unexpectedly wrong and so causing delays. I'm interested with your background how you view how our undertaking compares to civil engineering projects you've worked on. One thing that has puzzled me for a while, and which you may be able to shed some light on, is when you have a massive construction undertaking such as ours what, if anything, prevents the original timeline from being unofficially exaggerated by those at the top so as to allow themselves some overrun without anyone else knowing about it. Clearly they can't be stupid with their projections whilst borrowing money for their undertaking, but I am curious how much projects timelines are scrutinised by independent analysts. Particularly when we have sub contractors that have to give us their timeframes. In effect, what stops them saying to our management 'we'll build X shaft or tunnel in 14 months but for the official timeframe we'll go for 18 months'. That way we've got a nice unofficial buffer zone and if we get no problems we can say how great to have completed ahead of schedule. Or am I just being cynical?

Bobster Now that's the kind of post I like and which gets me all tingly and excited. Whilst all the technical analysis and projections by our more clued up posters are most welcome you can't beat one like that for what's going on up there on the ground and how those involved see things progressing as we / they move forward. The bit about your friend re mortgaging his house is particularly insightful. Thanks for the feedback. Very much appreciated.

I think that's the one I've ordered from Screwfix today wwguk on a next day delivery. Gotta pick it up tomorrow.

Realsicilian The Black Country Museum. Now your talking. Well worth a visit. Half my past is in that place with me being a Dudley lad. The chip shop I used to go to every Friday night after my beers and the swimming pool building I used to go swimming in when at school. The Victorian swimming pool always had a film of grease and oil covering the surface, forcing us to always push the fat kid in first so that we could all jump into the clear, watery hole created by his entry. The good old days many say. Like hell it was. Give me the modern ways any time. Our state of the art mine shall put that into perspective. I suppose one day our mine shall be in a museum. God knows what the technology of the future shall be like that puts it there. The technology of our undertaking and the futuristic extraction processes we are to create are phenomenal to me. What would those miners of yesteryear make of it all.

I don't know about other long term holders such as myself believing and wanting no dilution, but a small part of me is beginning to hope we do get dilution so that we can then turn around and say SEE! FECKING TOLD YOU SO!

Thanks Bellers In the circuit at the moment with first solo flight looming. It's thanks to Sirius that I'm doing it. Last year rather than topping up yet again I decided to spend money on flying instead with the plan that when the mine is up and running that shall give me all the income I'll need. It's great to be reaping the benefits (hopefully) of my investment here even before we've hit the Polyhalite. Best wishes.

Bellers 1013 gotcha. All the best

No worries Superleggera. All I've got to do now is work out GK's last post. I've made the mistake of reading it when I'm supposed to be studying for my flying exam. I don't know what's more confusing, altimeter pressure settings within controlled air space or GK's offtake extrapolations. All the best.

Hi Superleggera Just to clarify. I didn't say those who say stage 2 has been promised as all debt are ludicrous per se. I said it's ludicrous to state Fraser has promised it 100%. Because he hasn't. Neither did I mean other posters were themselves sad, but that it was sad they hadn't done their basic research on this matter because Fraser's 'intended' comment on stage 2 funding is there on the company's website. We in fact agree despite your riposte, for as you accurately state none of us know at this stage the terms of the next fund raising. The exact point I was trying to make. It's a point I've made a few times now. Not because I have any doubts about my investment or because I'm not committed to Sirius but because I think it's misleading to talk as if something is a given before it's been confirmed. Especially on something so critical as this and when investors new to Sirius may be considering jumping on board. For what it's worth I believe Fraser will deliver all debt.

LITC Good post with a clear, objective overview all positive, long term holders should adopt. Talk of Fraser having guaranteed all debt for stage2 is ludicrous and is a sad reflection of some investors lack of research to state otherwise and for serious long term holders not to be able to question potential pitfalls without being put under the microscope for hidden agendas. One thing I would however disagree with you on is your statement that IPA approval is the one thing Fraser does not have a gift to control. Agreed he doesn't, but neither has he been able to control the outcome of the planning approval for the mine build or the Torp agreements. Fraser does what he does best. Namely, puts forward a watertight, cogent argument for each step of the process, leaving the decision makers with potential outcomes that are in not only our but their best interests. As with the promise of local jobs and much needed income for the local council through positive, disruptive product placement to potential customers via TorPs Fraser as equally put into the hands of central government a national, economic argument as strong and as convincing as those that have gone on to succeed before. Like you I have much confidence. But no investor in anything should talk and convince themselves of anything being a certainty until it actually is. The waiting game continues.

DGR Tell me about it! I'm still holding those I bought at 2p never mind the ones I got at 27p. I'm like Mr Creosote in the Monty Python sketch! A waffer thin Sirius share Monsieur? Oh go on then.

DGR That's a great approach to trading. Only one problem with that is you can be tempted to keep then when they go up. I bought some at 4p intending to sell them on a double. Trouble is when we hit 8p I thought, sod it I'll keep them and buy some more. That way if we get to 12p I can sell some on a triple and those at 8p on a 50% increase. Grrr life never goes to plan does it!

Fred The chap you gave the money to wasn't called Chris France by any chance was it. He's known to bet the wrong horse.

Paaa That's a damn good point that needs reminding at times. Last weekend I thought exactly that at about 2am in the early hours. That at that very moment whilst most were tucked up in bed a hole was being dug in the ground under floodlights to help make me money. It was a very sobering thought. At that moment the share price could have been anything. I didn't give a monkey's chuff because the construction alone was mind blowing enough.

Mr Jim A small but critical clarification regarding your statement about the company saying stage 2 shall be debt: 'intended debt'. Not long now to find out. Exciting few months ahead. This year to me is racing by. Critical timelines we were talking of years ago are now breathing heavily down our neck. In a few weeks we'll be into September. Light nights are already getting notably shorter. The weather shall quickly change and before we know it the dreaded C word shall be mentioned by the advertising men. Shareholders are on the cusp of life changing riches. That's no exaggeration for some, especially if that intended debt is what we get.

Maybe as a wonderful act of sarcasm and a successful display of us overcoming the naysayers we could in the future name one of our container ships after our FT journalist.

Busterboy I doubt very much that TorPs and stage 2 shall shut the doubters up. They'll instead doubt the next phase, claiming we'll run over budget and time and still ignoring agronomy trials state that our product is unproven, unwarranted and shall fail. I firmly believe there are some who shall still be doubting us if we're on time and budget with a full order book and Sirius Star has left the bloody quayside fully laden with Polyhalite.

Paaa I think I'm gonna do what you suggest and make the most of the reactions to it. Nervous times for some. Certainly not fir moi. With make or break stage 2 funding getting perilously close some of those who have talked the talk may now find their perceived mettle struggling to walk the walk. Apologies if I'm mixing my metaphors.

I know my agenda too Chris France and as much as I read this BB I'm under no illusion that everyone on it is interested first and foremost in their own position. I do indeed think the article is one sided and unbalanced. Not purely because of what it says, for as you state valid points are indeed raised within it, but because of what it does not mention. The piece rightly questions the demand for our product but does not even mention the lengthy and widespread agronomy studies that have been undertaken and the success they have shown in increasing crop yields. This is the crux upon which our financing pivots and yet instead of talking about this the journalist seeks the opinion of those running Boulby for a statement on their sales. The journalist also states our requirement to extract at $32 a tonne. This does need to be addressed. But does he go on to describe our proposed state of the art mine where every proposed tonne excavated equates to a saleable tonne? No. He seeks to question those running an ageing, inefficient mine. You're right in that the journalist raises valid points as he should. My gripe is that there are equally valid answers which either through poor research or a deliberate agenda he chose to ignore.

Just got around to reading today's much mentioned FT article on Sirius. Jeez! Talk about poor, one sided, incomplete and inaccurate journalism with an agenda. If I wasn't invested here it would put me off for sure. Even if I'd just invested it would make me think twice. Luckily I've been here for years and have the well balanced, informed, articulate and honest input from this board. The posters here haven't made me blinkered, far from it, just merely put into focus the sheer amateurish nature of the FT article. Yes our undertaking must be questioned and scrutinised, but the flippant, almost sarcastic at times, scrutinisation by the journalist [sic] leaves the FT's intent and its impartiality on company analysis open to question. Phrases like sleight of hand and the insinuation our BOD have deliberately misled shareholders regarding off takes should in my opinion be responded to by our company with it coming from a supposedly respected paper such as the FT. If as much effort had been put into highlighting and questioning the agronomy studies and the vitally important increased yields our product shall bring to an increasing population coupled with a state of the art mine to extract it rather than trying to get a denouncing statement on our undertaking from those running an ageing, money guzzling mine stuck in the dark ages just because they mine a modicum of Polyhalite it would have been a more balanced piece of journalism. Not even a mention of us being backed by the richest and savviest business woman in Australia. Neither does it mention Fraser's past success in raising finance. A flippant, ignorant and ill researched piece of journalism the likes of which I've never before come across. I expect it may knock us down further for a day or two. But bounce back we all know we shall.