1.   Despite the controversy, desert dirts remain a draw for small investors willing to take a high-risk gamble.

2.   Even investors agree that buying stock in desert dirts requires a leap of faith.

3.   Investors say they believe the exchanges, big mining companies and the news media are conspiring to squash the desert dirts.

4.   The desert dirts, defenders say, represent nothing less than a revolution in mining technology that poses a threat to larger companies and the exchanges where they trade.

5.   The desert dirts add a technological twist, using their web sites on the Internet to communicate directly with investors.