Chile Forum

U.S. Gold Mining Company Geocom to Strip Mine the Espolon Valley in Region X of Southern Chile's Patagonia.

The link to our full article can be found here at http://www.allsouthernchile.com:
http://www.allsouthernchile.com/content/view/391/100/

We are looking for help with an email campaign to stop this and we are cordinating with local environmental groups and organizations, including Aguas libres and the tourism association of Futaleufu.

I'm just a tourist/newcomer but I can't help wondering if there's a link between Geocom and Barrick Gold. Geocom was formed in 2000 and is based in Washington state where Canadian Barrick's main office is located. Barrick has fallen out of favor with analysts a bit because of lack of activity and Geocom is a hot newcomer. I was in investments in my "old" life and don't trust these large corporations much. Ok, call me suspicious....

Personally, I think it's a terrible idea for Chile to sell natural resources so cheap while impacting the environment and natural beauty. And I bet they're selling much too cheap.

They are incorporated in the State of Nevada from what I found. It really does not matter all that much in Chile, because they are operating under a fully Chilean company so they have all the protection inside Chile of that company. They can more or less do what they want, and only the Chilean company is really in trouble.

We are investigating more about their operations inside Chile, and should have more soon.

I saw this on kitco.com and it rang a bell, is this the same site? If so, it's on hold for now. When the $ tanks, watch them switch to high gear though.

http://www.bnamericas.com/story.jsp?idi ... cia=397144

No, these are different projects. There are all kinds of them all over Patagonia now, by all kinds of companies.

I know they killed the project in Argentina because they could not meet the environmental standards just over the boarder.

US Corporations are like locusts. I can't even start talking without getting really angry. May I suggest that you read this interview with John Perkins who wrote the book Confessions of an Economic Hit-Man:

http://www.sptimes.com/2005/02/07/Columns/A_hit_man_comes_clean.shtml

To my new friends in Chile: Protect your gold, protect your environment. Harvest it on your terms, when it will meet your needs, not the needs of US (or Chilean, for that matter) corporations. Use this resource to benefit the people at large.

CHILE: BARRICK LAND RIP-OFF ON TRIAL
Written by Monica Evans
Wednesday, 11 July 2007
A Court of Appeals trial began last Friday to determine who rightfully owns 8,600 hectares of land that Canadian mining company Barrick Gold bought from illiterate farmer Rodolfo Villar for 10,000 pesos (US$20).

The property forms a strategic part of the terrain acquired by the company for its controversial Pascua Lama gold mine project. If the Court rules against Barrick, the land loss could prove problematic for the project’s development.

The Court will rule on the issue after 30 days on trial.

(from the Valpo Times)

This ties in well with the "don't get between an indian and his land" thread.
They should have given him $50, $20 seems cheap.

This topic is so painful I almost can't even consider it. I hope that one thing people who come to Chile (as guests and retirees, not big thumping gorilla corporations and developements) can help Chileans become aware of the richness of their country, and how crucial it is to preserve it. But there must be something to offset companies who bilk simple people out of land for the purpose of exploiting the natural resources. The post above was something that disgusted me beyond belief.

It's a complicated thing here. I always thought hydro was great! But then I saw what it would do to places like Futaleufu, and the Rio Azul. The alternatives? Smaller hydros? Better energy conservation? Chile is poised to be a country that can do something different. I so hope they do.

MikieO wrote:". . . 8,600 hectares of land that Canadian mining company Barrick Gold bought from illiterate farmer Rodolfo Villar for 10,000 pesos (US$20). . . ."

Doesn't anyone else find difficult to believe that the owner of over twenty thousand acres of land -- more than thirty square miles -- should be illiterate?

I guess that Sr. Villar thought that he was "taking" the company.

But it's good that a court is attempting to sort matters out. It'll be interestng to learn what its attempt reveals -- if it enquires closely enough.

Hey Charles...Any updates on the Espolon Valley gold mining story? If there is a link we can watch on this, it would be great to have it.

Vicki and Greg

No, I have not had any word on it one way or the other. I am sure once the weather improves around Futa, there will be some more.

As for the guy owning that much land and not being able to read, I totally believe it. Some of the largest land owners in Chile got their land for free from the government as settlers years ago, and often can not read.

Some of the regional courts have bee voiding sales contracts, when it is obvious that the seller got completely taken advantage of by the buyer.