The Mining Journal just covered the recent forum in London, including a bit they titled “Monopoly Rules; Winning is all about having the correct strategy.” Under the header “Passing ‘Go’,” Donner Metals Ltd.’s Dave Patterson refers to the opening speaker’s Monopoly analogy by applying it to the Matagami Project. : http://clients.westminster-digital.co.uk/minesite/microsite/events/62/video/index.aspx?companyid=62_5
- In Monopoly, you need to have access to the railway, and utilities. Matagami has road, railway, airport, power, an onsite mill, and more infrastructure in place. It’s much easier to win when you can ride the railway without having to pay for building one from scratch.

This picture shows the proximity of infrastructure in the area currently under development in Matagami.
- In Monopoly, when you Pass Go, you collect $200. In Québec, when you spend $1.00 on exploration, you get $0.40 back from the government. This is a huge incentive in a world-class mining district like Matagami.
- Finally, in Monopoly it pays off both short- and long-term to own Park Place because you can collect on what you already have with the option of building more in the future. There have been 10 past producers in the camp, one current producer, and Donner/Xstrata’s new Bracemac-McLeod deposit is coming in as the third largest in the camp. Plus, there is potential for more new discoveries.
Pay close attention to the strategy in this game, and you should see that the Matagami Project is a quality property with low-cost, high-margin deposits in a camp that has proven economic in every metals cycle since opening in 1963.
In June 2010, Xstrata is expected to finish the accelerated feasibility study. If it’s positive which seems likely since Xstrata skipped the pre-feasibility study to fast-track it, they should be breaking ground in July.



