I would think that Hecla will play hard ball if they really want to leave. Otherwise, get your shovel and mule ready, you should be getting a phone call soon.

This is potentially interesting in another way -- if Hugo is keeping them in VZ because he sees the restoration as important. LC looks like the surface of the moon, and needs extensive restoration that can only be funded by mining the gold first. Probably true for much of the KM 88 area that has been plundered for decades by locals.