"Money money money, it´s a honey, it´s a rich man´s world"
Gllüsse
25. November 2024, 13:54
"Money money money, it´s a honey, it´s a rich man´s world"
Gllüsse
OOOPS, trading halt bei KRY, die fiel mit 3.6m Aktien gleich um -46%.
Was ist da los ?????
Kurs 1.40 USD ...
Jetzt ist sie am Tiefpunkt !
Weiß es auch nicht,
möglicherweise doch mit der Chavez meldung von neulich.
Obwohl ich gelesen habe, dass es mit KRY nichts zu tun hat.
Auch selten, dass es gleich mal die Hälfte verliert und dann der trading halt kommt. Hat man da absichtlich gepennt.
KRY wird nun auch für mich interessant.
Grüße
Tschonko
Wem soll man da nun glauben, Chaves oder den CEO von KRY.
Bei 1.60 USD bin ich sofort dabei, meine Order ist in der Pipeline.
Aber heute geht nichts mehr, die haben sie echt stuerzen lassen und mit absicht verpennt.
Don't cry for me Venezuela.
A so a Schaas !
Gnight, Tschonko
XAX
Das ist die Meldung:
Bin nicht drin, drum weiß ich zuwenig über KRY.
Chavez will zumindest geld sehen.
Imho stecken da die Chinesen dahinter.
Chavez Says Gold Mine Belongs to Venezuela
Tuesday September 20, 3:57 pm ET
President Chavez Says Gold Mine Belongs to Venezuela, Despite Canadian Investment
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- President Hugo Chavez appeared to cast doubt Tuesday on a Canadian company's plans to develop a major gold mine in Venezuela, saying it belonged to the state.
The Toronto-based company Crystallex International Corp. has said it will spend $265 million (euro217 million) building the Las Cristinas gold mine and a processing plant.
Chavez said in a televised speech Tuesday that the mine will be exploited through a new state company.
"Las Cristinas belongs to Venezuela. We will build a national mining company there," he said.
It wasn't immediately clear how the president's position would affect the plans of Crystallex.
Crystallex officials weren't immediately available for comment. Last week a spokesman for Crystallex -- which has already signed an operating agreement to exploit the mine -- said the company hoped to obtain environmental permits to move ahead with the project.
Und noch eine: das fette beachten!
Venezuela to build mining firm in Las Cristinas
Tue Sep 20, 2005 03:51 PM ET
CARACAS, Venezuela, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Venezuela President Hugo Chavez said on Tuesday the government would construct a planned new state mining company in the giant Las Cristinas area where Canadian Crystallex International Corp. (KRY.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) is awaiting a permit to build a gold mine.
Chavez did not say Venezuela would revoke the contract to Crystallex or that the gold mine the company was planning to develop would now be developed by the new state company.
"As it happens in Las Cristinas ... It's mine, it's over. That belongs to Venezuela, and there we are going to create a national mining company there, ourselves," Chavez said in a speech.
The government has said in recent days it would revoke some inactive concessions and not issue new gold and diamond mining concessions.
Der neue Mugabe (Fidel) von Suedamerika
Hallo Friends,
war technisch bedingt seit Stunden nicht im Netz.
Das ist ein Dingen.
Wenn der Chavez das so durchziehen würde,
wäre das Vertrauen der Mineure nicht nur in Venezuela im Eimer.
Mutig,alle Wetter,jetzt nachzukaufen,Aladin.
Ich seh mir das erst mal an.
Grüsse
Und was sagt Hecla ???
Hecla Terminates Guariche Transaction
Tuesday September 20, 5:00 pm ET
COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 20, 2005--Hecla Mining Company (NYSE:HL - News) today announced that it has terminated an agreement to acquire Triumph Gold Corporation's interest in mineral concessions in the Guariche Mining District in Venezuela. Hecla decided to terminate the transaction because the companies failed to reach a consensus on certain conditions of closing.
Hecla President and Chief Executive Officer Phillips S. Baker, Jr., said, "We have a large number of excellent exploration targets and properties in Venezuela on which we are currently working. Our priorities lie with these prospective properties surrounding our La Camorra and Mina Isidora gold mines." Baker continued, "We've had very good results on several targets with our exploration drilling on our Block B property in Venezuela, and we continue to be enthusiastic about our presence and future growth in Venezuela."
Hecla Mining Company, headquartered in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, mines and processes silver and gold in the United States, Venezuela and Mexico. A 114-year-old company, Hecla has long been well known in the mining world and financial markets as a quality silver and gold producer. Hecla's common and preferred shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols HL and HL-PrB.
"Las Cristinas belongs to Venezuela. We will build a "national" mining company there," he said. ...er meint fuer die Nation !!!
In seinen Suff.
It wasn't immediately clear how the president's position would affect the plans of Crystallex.
Crystallex shares dived 48 percent on the Toronto bourse after Chavez's announcement, falling C$1.51 ($1.29, euro1.06) to C$1.65 ($1.41, euro1.16) before trading was suspended ahead of an expected company announcement.
Chavez quoted out of context - Crystallex
Tue Sep 20, 2005 04:24 PM ET
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept 20 (Reuters) - A report quoting Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez as saying his government plans to nationalize the Las Cristinas gold project took the leader's comments out of context, project owner Crystallex International Corp. (KRY.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Tuesday.
"We think (Chavez's comments) were taken completely out of context. We are not aware of any changes whatsoever," Crystallex spokesman Richard Marshall said.
Dow Jones, quoting a televised address by Chavez, reported that Venezuela's government is reclaiming national mining assets such as Crystallex's Las Cristinas gold project.
"As it happens in Las Cristinas ... It's mine, it's over. That belongs to Venezuela, and there we are going to create a national mining company there, ourselves," Chavez said in a speech.
Bin gespannt was er morgen sagt dazu wenn er seinen Rausch ausgeschlafen hat.
Hallo Eldo,
wirf mal einen Blick in den letzten Quartalsbericht. Property , plant und equipment ist bei Las Christinas 169 Mio. $. Im gesamten Unternehmen sind es 172 Mio. 80 Mio. sind langfr. Verbindlichkeiten. Ohne das Projekt und baldige Produktion sind sie erschossen und können gleich Insolvenz anmelden. Tja, ich mag die Amis wahrlich nicht aber solche Rückschläge sind bei denen nicht zu befürchten.....
Gruß
lancelot
Aladin
genau diese Überlegung hab ich vor paar Minuten bei Juniors angedacht.
Alte Leier bei Despoten:erst mal das schwere Geschütz auffahren.
Später kommt irgendein dussliger Kompromiss.
Diese ganze Chose hilft logo nicht ganz dem Markt!
Gnight/Greetings
@ Lancelot
Klar sind sie fertig wenn Chaves sich das Gebiet kostenlos schnappt, wir werden es sehen wie verrueckt er wird.
Die Nachbarlaender koennen auch das Fidel Fieber bekommen oder Hugo den Kopf reparieren sonst trifft es die ganze Region.
Wer soll das Projekt fuehren, einen Chinesische Firma oder seine Gaujos die keine Ahnung sowie Geraete und Erfahrung haben.
Dann faellt auch Hecla und das moechte ich sehen was der Ami dazu sagt und dagegen macht, die lassen keinen Diktator zu unter ihren Hintern.
Ist es ein Bluff oder macht er Ernst ?
Fuer mich bellt der nur und macht sich wichtig.
WOOF WOOF !
http://www.musikcity.mus.br/english.html
Gnight
XAX
ZitatOriginal von Lancelot
. Tja, ich mag die Amis wahrlich nicht aber solche Rückschläge sind bei denen nicht zu befürchten..... :
Nun ja,deswegen ist ja mein Engagement zu 80% in Kanada notiert,
insoweit keine echten Amis.
Die haben iÜ Canyon, da ists das eigene Volk!
Grüsse
Salsa in Venezuela, bei den Kurs faengt man echt zum tanzen an.
http://www.musikcity.mus.br/english.html
The Media, the CIA and the Coup (15.04.2002 Artikel)
By Christopher Reilly
In a rare sequence of events, democratically elected leader President Hugo Chavez was overthrown in a military coup led by the business elite, only to be reinstated as president days later due to the support of the Venezuelan people.
The democratic leader, winning office in 1998 with 60 percent of the national vote, was disliked by the business class due to his socialist stance on many political issues, such as redistribution of land.
Then on April 12th, business leaders angered at Chavez's handling of the oil industry, organized a large strike. The strike turned into an open street protest marching toward the presidential palace. The local media, operated by the business elite, apparently continued to lambaste the president on television, causing Chavez to temporarily halt all private broadcasting in Venezuela in fears of it causing panic and violent revolt.
The protestors continued to the outside of the palace where they confronted pro-Chavez supporters. Both sides began to clash, resulting in 16 deaths and hundreds of injuries. The media quickly reported that Chavez supporters fired into the crowds of demonstrators. The Western media was quick to follow; one newspaper after another publishing only the version of events reported by the same business community that was attempting to overthrow the Venezuelan democracy.
The version of events made official by Ari Fleischer, spokesman for the Bush Administration, claimed that Chavez shut down the media to stifle opposition and then ordered those loyal to him to fire into the crowd of protestors. Or, in Fleischer's exact words, "Chavez supporters, on orders, fired on unarmed, peaceful demonstrators. Venezuelan military and police refused to fire ... and refused to support the government's role in human rights violations."
The State Department was next to come out in support of the violent military coup, expressing their regret that Chavez did not "act with restraint and show full respect for the peaceful expression of political opinion."
However, the State Department failed to mention the number of dead Venezuelans was also made up of Chavez supporters. According to one South American newspaper, sympathizers of the president were killed, along with the Vice President Diosdado Cabello's personal driver, shot in the face.
Not only that, but it has not even been confirmed that Chavez ordered his forces to shoot into the crowd of people. The military men that reported this fact were the same military figures who supported the coup. They could have easily fabricated the story in order to give justification for junta. For example, news broadcasts stated, as printed in London's The Independent, that "half a dozen men - one wearing a Chavez party T-shirt - firing automatic pistols into a crowd from an overpass, while police launched tear gas canisters into the crowd. Shortly after, 10 officers from the National Guard and armed forces accused Mr. Chavez of 'betraying the trust of the people.' "
This statement was simply taken as fact in media circles, largely ignoring how convenient it was for news cameras to pin the blame on Chavez while those firing on demonstrators wore "Chavez party T-shirt[s]," proving to viewers that Chavez was responsible for the deaths.
Either way, the campaign worked temporarily.
Military figures removed Chavez from the palace, telling the corporate media in both Venezuela and the world that Chavez had resigned. Without investigating the statement, newspapers across the world began to announce that Chavez resigned after the will of his people turned against him, often citing that Chavez's approval rating fell to 30 percent before the coup, never explaining where that number came from. Now after Chavez has been reinstated as president, the figure seems to have disappeared from news reports.
The Bush Administration continued to show their support for the coup, with the State Department announcing, "We wish to express our solidarity the Venezuelan people and look forward to working with all democratic forces in Venezuela to ensure the full exercise of democratic rights."
Yet if the Bush Administration truly cared about "democratic forces in Venezuela," they would have sharply condemned the coup as many neighboring South American countries did. After all, the business leader who took power after the coup, Pedro Carmona, became a dictator and completely dissolved the constitution, National Assembly, Supreme Court and other institutions on a vague promise that elections would be held again in December.
Despite all these forces working against Chavez, protestors hit the streets again, but this time to demand Chavez be brought back to power. They succeeded and the military brought Chavez in on a helicopter, saving democracy from the dangerous forces of a greedy business elite.
Why was the Bush Administration so quick to voice tentative approval with the military coup? Judging by history, the CIA may have been involved once again in another South American coup. After all, it was the CIA that mounted a coup in Guatemala that overthrew the democratically elected government in 1954, supporting subsequent right-wing regimes, resulting in some 200,000 dead civilians, according to the a recent column in the New York Times. That same column, written by Tim Weiner, cites the CIA's involvement in the Panama coup in 1989, along with the CIA support for opposition to Nicaragua's leftists in the 1980s, ending in a disaster called the Iran-Contra Affair.
And the CIA was also involved in overthrowing democratically elected leader Salvador Allende in Chile, only to replace him with a ruthless right-wing dictator - General August Pinochet, whose abysmal human rights record is well-known.
Therefore, it would not be a surprise should the CIA be involved in yet another overthrow of democracy, showing the hypocrisy of American government administrations who use the words "freedom" and "democracy" as a justification to take military actions on some countries, but then frequently destroy "freedom" and "democracy" in other countries.
William Blum, author of "Killing Hope," summed this up in a recent column. Blum believes that the CIA was involved in this overthrow. He states his reasoning in the following few sentences: "Same way we know that the sun will rise tomorrow morning. That's what it's [the CIA] always done and there's no reason to think that tomorrow morning will be any different."
Blum cites a Washington Post report from Venezuela on April 13 that states: "Members of the country's diverse opposition had been visiting the U.S. Embassy here in recent weeks, hoping to enlist U.S. help in toppling Chavez. The visitors included active and retired members of the military, media leaders and opposition politicians."
Judging by reasons of previous CIA orchestrated coups in South America, Chavez may have broken nearly every rule the CIA demands South American leaders follow unless they want to seek the wrath of their northern neighbor. These rules, all broken by Chavez, include supplying oil to Cuba at discount rates; meeting with Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, along with Saddam Hussein; not allowing the U.S. to use Venezuelan airspace for its "War on Drugs"; accusing the Bush Administration of "fighting terrorism with terrorism" by its assault on Afghanistan, saying that deaths due to U.S. bombardment had "no justification, just as the attacks in New York did not, either."
All of these reasons would have been enough for the CIA to approve of Chavez's removal, despite the fact that he was democratically elected. To add to it all, as Forbes magazine writes, "Venezuela is the only OPEC member in the western hemisphere, exporting nearly 1.3 million barrels per day of crude oil and 250,000 barrels per day of refined products to the U.S., accounting for 13% of imports to the world's largest oil consumer."
The desire to have a puppet in Venezuela must have been high in the CIA and the Bush Administration. Unfortunately the world will have to wait many years until the truth finally comes out in declassified internal U.S. government documents.
Christopher Reilly is a columnist for YellowTimes. He encourages your comments: creilly@YellowTimes.org
UPDATE 3-Venezuela eyes Las Cristinas for state mining firm
Tue Sep 20, 2005 05:24 PM ET
(Adds Hecla announcement in para 14)
CARACAS, Venezuela, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Venezuela President Hugo Chavez on Tuesday said the government would construct a planned new state mining company in the Las Cristinas area where Canadian Crystallex International Corp. (KRY.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) is awaiting a permit to build a gold mine.
Chavez did not say Venezuela would revoke the contract to Crystallex or that the gold mine the company was planning to construct would now be developed by the new state company.
"That belongs to Venezuela, and there we are going to create a national mining company there," Chavez said in a speech.
Chavez has launched a broad campaign to review energy and mineral contracts signed before he came to office that he says are robbing Venezuela of its natural resources.
The government has said it will revoke some inactive gold and diamond mining concessions and would not issue new ones.
But Crystallex company officials assured Las Cristinas would not be affected by the government's move to tighten control over the mining sector.
"The minister of planning earlier today said they are not going after projects that are being advanced by international mining companies. They are going after the dormant ones," Crystallex spokesman Richard Marshall said.
Crystallex shares sank 48 percent on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Tuesday, before being halted at C$1.65, down C$1.51 on the day.
The Las Cristinas project is one of the world's largest undeveloped gold projects and Crystallex's flagship venture. It is estimated to contain 12.5 million ounces of gold reserves, and is expected to produce about 300,000 ounces of gold a year in its early years.
The project has been delayed for years because of legal disputes and permitting hold-ups.
Crystallex officials said they were not aware of any changes to the status of their project and added the idea for a state mining company had been around for years.
"It is not to be competitive with these big assets. It's a way to create employment opportunities for small scale miners in an environmentally friendly way," Marshall said, adding the state company would be located in the same region as Las Cristinas.
Officials have said the new Venezuelan mining company would be similar to PDVSA, the state energy company of the world's No. 5 oil exporter.
Seperately, Hecla Mining Co. (HL.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Tuesday it had terminated an agreement to acquire Triumph Gold Corp.'s interest in mineral concessions in the Guariche Mining District in Venezuela after failing "to reach a consensus on certain conditions of closing."
Hecla is the largest gold miner in Venezuela.
Also ich kauf mir zu bestens morgen den Hugo Salsa und tanze spaeter wenn Fortuna mitgeht.
Der Fundmanager der da verkauft und gepanikt hat wird es leid tun, oder mir.
Mal schaun, wieder ein gehaemmerter Stock.
XAX
http://www.musikcity.mus.br/english.html
Venezuela's Chavez Urges Socialist Push
Tuesday September 20, 6:51 pm ET
By Patricia Rondon Espin, Associated Press Writer
Venezuela's Chavez Urges Foreign Investors to Pay Taxes and Follow Rules, or Leave
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez urged foreign oil firms and other companies Tuesday to pay their taxes and follow the government's rules, saying those that don't should leave.
WOOF WOOF !
In a speech that ranged from mining rights to a state seizure of one company's grain silos, Chavez said the country should turn resolutely away from capitalism and toward socialism.
"An oil or gas company, or whatever sort... that doesn't like what is happening here, that doesn't way to pay taxes, that doesn't want to answer for environmental damages, let them pick up their things and go far away," Chavez said. "Let them leave."
Chavez made the remarks during a speech in the eastern city of Puerto Ordaz. His government has accused some foreign oil firms of evading taxes and has said they must pay up.
The Venezuelan president said his government "isn't against international investment," but said he opposes investments in which there is "an intent to take ownership of our natural resources."
He spoke in general terms but then went into a specific case, ?(appearing to cast doubt on Toronto-based Crystallex International Corp.'s plans to develop a major gold mine, saying it would be exploited by a state mining firm.
"Las Cristinas belongs to Venezuela. We will build a national mining company there," he said, without elaborating. Crystallex has plans to spend US $265 million (euro218 million) on the project.
Chavez, an ally of Cuban President Fidel Castro, says he is leading Venezuela away from capitalism and toward a new "socialism of the 21st century."........ VIVA !!!
He said that will involve increasing the use of cooperatives and emphasizing "collective property."
Chavez also praised state governments for recently seizing an abandoned tomato processing plant owned by H.J. Heinz Co. and grain silos owned by Alimentos Polar, the country's largest food company.
Officials have said they will move to expropriate the two properties, arguing they weren't being adequately used.
In Polar's case, Chavez said, "they bought the plant and stripped it down, and they took the equipment to another country. And they abandoned it."
Troops seized the Polar silos earlier this month. Polar -- which makes Polar beer and many food products -- is challenging the move, saying the corn silos were still in use. But Chavez said the company dismantled a plant next to them that was used to make corn flour.
Venezuelan authorities during the past year have taken control of 26 silos that were judged to be abandoned, Food Minister Rafael Oropeza said, according to the state-run ABN news agency.
Chavez said workers in state-supported cooperatives should "dedicate at least one afternoon a week to ideological debate."
"The most important thing isn't to earn money. The most important thing to contribute... to the transformation of the country's socio-economic process," Chavez said.
Meanwhile, Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel said the government plans to redistribute as much as 2 million hectares (4.9 million acres) through agrarian reforms. Rangel denied the plan threatens private property, saying more Venezuelans would own property as a result.
"We are expanding private property," Rangel told the state news agency.
Crystallex Forced to Do Damage Control After Back-Breaking News
By Jon A. Nones
20 Sep 2005 at 10:07 PM EDT
St. LOUIS (ResourceInvestor.com) -- Crystallex International Corp. [AMEX:KRY; TSX:KRY] watched its share price plummet by $1.32, or 48.5%, at midday today after news hit the market reporting that President Hugo Chavez was nationalizing the companyýs principal asset - the Las Cristinas property. Despite of a counter release by the company saying Chavezýs comments were ýtaken out of context,ý shares closed at a 52-week low of $1.40.
According to the news release, President Hugo Chavez said in a televised speech Tuesday that the Las Cristinas property belonged to the state and will be exploited through a new state company.
"Las Cristinas belongs to Venezuela. We will build a national mining company there," he said, according the release.
Crystallex spokesman Richard Marshall immediately replied to this, contending that the leaderýs comments were quoted inaccurately by the news source.
Yesterday, Venezuela announced its plans to revoke some gold and diamond concessions and create a new state mining company as part of a push to increase government control over the sector. The government also said it would no longer authorize new gold and diamond mining concessions.
Crystallex, with significant operations and exploration properties in Venezuela, could be in a position to take a big loss here.
Josue Fernandez, a spokesman for Crystallex, said the company does not fall under the concession review because it has an operating contract - not a concession - from state mining conglomerate Corporacion Venezolana de Guyana.
Crystallex had previously announced that it will spend $265 million building the Las Cristinas gold mine and a processing plant.
The mine was expected to commence commercial gold production in the first quarter of 2007 at an initial annualized rate of approximately 300,000 ounces.
On August 31, Crystallex revised its estimates for the Las Cristinas deposit to equal 1.8 million ounces of proven reserves and 10.5 million ounces of probable reserves. Measured resources were increased to 2.5 million ounces; indicated resources to 15 million ounces; and inferred resources to 4.5 million ounces.
Lustiges ?? Resumee´:
Ay Caramba! What is going on in Venezuela???
By: Senorita Dorotea Kosich
Posted: '21-SEP-05 04:00' GMT © Mineweb 1997-2004
RENO--(Mineweb.com) What the heck is going in Venezuela?
After digesting a steady stream of anti-U.S. diatribes, elections, indigenous protests against mining, and fiery Presidential pronouncements denouncing multinational capitalism, this reporter has grown accustomed to the vitriolic Venezuelan political rhetoric. Occasionally a dispute would break out which involved precious metals mining in the country. Nevertheless, it usually would be peacefully resolved and life would go on.
As of Tuesday, however, this scribe is genuinely concerned that there may be genuine cause for alarm among the U.S. and Canadian miners. A series of events that have occurred this past few days might give any reasonable person pause for concern.
Last week, the unofficial voice for the Venezuelan government, VHeadline.com reported Venezuelan Mining Minister Victor Alvarez announced there would be a review of all mining contracts. The statement was not cause for alarm because Alvarez has been revamping the Venezuelan Guyana Corporation (CVG), which administers mining concessions, since early this summer. Some department heads moved on or were replaced. By August, Alvarez denied advertisements that the new Ministry of Basic Industries & Mines was trying to incorporate CVG and its subsidiaries into the national government.
Earlier this month, Alvarez said his ministry would examine the legitimacy of some 70% of all mining contracts and concessions awarded by prior administrations during the last 40 years. He expressed concern that "the current situation brings us to the conclusion that we must evaluate Venezuela's best interests in each case, and where necessary, to cancel concessions, rescind contracts and suspend permit applications that have been processed correctly."
Small-scale miners have been protesting efforts by the government to reduce illegal mining activities. President Hugo Chavez Frias, who has made land reform and redistribution of idle land holdings a cornerstone of his socialistically-oriented administration, directed Alvarez to reclaim national sovereignty over gold and mining reserves which aren't being exploited. Alvarez asserted that "inactivity in gold and mining reserves is one of the primary causes of regional unemployment among small miners."
The Basic Industries and Mine Ministry subsequently announced that it would permit a grace period while permission to exploit concessions is being reviewed and activated. Alvarez declared that his goal was to use the democratization of these mining claims "to help small production companies to improve their workers' standard of living."
On September 16th, Richard Marshall of Crystallex said that he saw no danger whatsoever in the government's plan to establish a national mining company, grant no further gold or diamond mining concessions to multinational companies or national business groups, and seize idle concessions. Bolivar Gold CFO Rob Doyle concurred in Marshall's assessment, adding it would not affect their gold properties.
However, Tuesday, the tension involving Chavez's plans was more readily apparent. Valmore Vasquez, Vice Minister of Investment Promotions for the mines ministry, told the Ultimas Noticias newspaper that the country's mining industry is paralyzed. He announced that operations contract and concessions granted to large transnational corporations and economic groups will be revoked if they remain inactive without adequate justification.
Vasquez also announced that central government implementation of mining reform will commence shortly, including the formation of a national mining corporation under the direct control of the President, possibly in a strategic alliance with CVG, with international companies acting as gatekeeper on behalf of the Venezuelan government.
Meanwhile, during a televised speech broadcast Monday, Chavez allegedly declared that "Las Cristinas belongs to Venezuela. We will build a national mining company there." Reuters reported the President planned to revoke the gold and diamond concessions and to create a new mining company as part of a push to increase government control over the mining sector.
The news immediately sent the markets into panic mode. Crystallex shares were halted late in the trading day on Tuesday as the stock fell 48%. Senior officials Tuesday insisted that the remarks attributed to Chavez were taken out of context. "Shortly you will see that it is business as usual for established mining companies with already advancing projects," the officials declared.
These assurances were not enough to convince the markets. If you were a mining or exploration company doing business in Venezuela, Tuesday was the day from Purgatory. Spokane, Washington-based Gold Reserve saw its shares drop nearly 27.7% on the AMEX to close at $2.56 per share while shares on the TSX dropped 24.27% to Cdn$3.12.
Bolivar Gold shares declined 15.8% on the TSX to Cdn $2.40 a share. After the close of the trading day Tuesday, Bolivar Chairman and CEO Serafino Iacono issued a news release declaring "We have enjoyed a very strong relationship with the Venezuelan government and in particular with the Ministry of Basic Industries and Mining and CVG and look forward to continuing that relationship in the future." Bolivar insisted that Chavez's comments "have no impact on the agreements recently reached by Bolivar with the Venezuelan Ministry of Basic Industry and Mining and Corporacion Venzolana de Guayana in connection with Bolivar's properties (including the Choco 4 and 10 project).
Meanwhile, Idaho-based Hecla Mining also issued a news release Tuesday stating that it had terminated plans to acquire Triumph Gold Corp's stake in the Guirache gold project. While Hecla didn't refer to Chavez's comments, Hecla President and CEO Phil Baker felt compelled to declare "we have a large number of excellent exploration targets and properties in Venezuela on which we are currently working. Our priorities lie with these prospective properties surrounding our La Camorra and Mina Isadora mines." Baker's remarks didn't appeal to allay investors' fears as shares of Hecla fell 8% to close at $3.91 on the NYSE and continued to slide in aftermarket activity.
Is there cause for concern on the part of mining and exploration companies doing business in Venezuela? The answer, at this time, remains very unclear. However, when the President of Venezuela goes on ABC's Nightline last week, declaring that he has evidence of a U.S. plan to invade Venezuela, comparing his political situation to the crucifixion of Christ, and demanding the arrest of a prominent (and occasionally whacko) religious leader as a terrorist, something is definitely wrong.
Probably, investors and mining journalists may assume one of the following scenarios is true:
1) El Presidente has a few screws loose and/or is crazy like a fox, or
2) The political positions of foreign mining companies doing business in Venezuela may not be as strong as they would have investors believe, or
3) Investing in foreign mining and exploration activities in Venezuela still carries political risk (and, perhaps, Placer Dome was right), or
4) The news media is way off base, blew everything out of proportion, and the controversy will, once again, subside.
As for this reporter, apparently only one sane option should be chosen when it comes to reporting mining in Venezuela about now...
Note to Beloved Slave-Driving Boss: Cancel that one-way ticket for Caracas, if you please.