Still no clarification from these creeps to the news that went round the world. Maybe the slime will claim the legal problem is "Vanessa"..

Until now the management was Canadian, Chavez will surrender the gold to Moscow by Venezuelan Wenceslao Cruz

The Canadian company that manages Crystallex Las Cristinas, one of the largest gold deposits in Latin America and one of the largest in the world, has not received notice of any changes affecting the control of the gold project.

Rodolfo Sanz, Minister of Basic Industries and Mining Venezuelan, has reached an agreement with the Russian company Rusoro to operate the Las Cristinas and Brisas deposits along with Venezuela. Up to now operational Crystallex had a contract to develop Las Cristinas, while Brisas was given in concession to Gold Reserve.

Sanz has said that "we have to terminate our relationship with a company that has been working in the area", in apparent allusion to Crystallex. "We have a legal problem there," he adds.

The change reflects the efforts of the hands of Hugo Chávez by strengthening ties with Russia and increase state control over a key sector. The scheme aims to accelerate the Venezuelan mining development at a time when oil prices seriously affect the finances of the OPEC member.

Chavez has undertaken in recent nationalization of a broad campaign in the sector of oil, steel, cement, telecommunications, electricity and banking.

The news has already had an impact. The titles of Rusoro have gained 38 percent, while shares of Crystallex have fallen.

Chavez already offered to Crystallex Las Cristinas in 2002, leading to another Canadian company called Vannessa Ventures bringing an international arbitration claiming that it had the rights to operate the mine.

Rusoro, currently operates mines in Venezuela Choco 10 and Isidora, and the ore processed at the facilities of Choco. Hecla Mining Company, based in Idaho, said in June that it sold its subsidiaries in Venezuela to Rusoro with considerable losses.