Conclusion:
Controlling a flagship development project that can boast of having an inventory of 5.1 million ounces of gold reserve is no small feat for any junior company to achieve, not to mention having these same ounces in one's possession that can work at a gold price much lower than the current one, which Cardinal Resources' Namdini Gold Project certainly looks like it can offer (based on the previously released PFS, which outlined a base-case scenario using a gold price of $1,250/oz).
Currently, there are some interim headwinds (e.g., delayed DFS, options expiry "overhang," etc.) that are doing their part to keep the share price of CRDNF depressed, but due to the sheer size + scale + quality of the gold ounces contained in the Namdini Gold Project, this certainly continues to be a gold stock that has the potential to offer speculators immense leverage in a rising gold price environment.
Yes, although it's most true that over the last few months shares of CRDNF have acted like they are totally oblivious to the ascent in the gold price (underperforming even "optionality" peers, when it isn't one itself), over a longer time period, a profound re-rating could still very well take place once these short-term hurdles are overcome.
Cardinal Resources has clearly been a laggard out of the gates of this emerging new bull market in gold, but perhaps in this particular case, the expression that it's not about how you start but how you finish will ring most true.
Time will tell.