In the Claritas, parish San Isidro, Sifontes municipality, the South of the state Bolivar, are the deposits the Cristinas and next to this one, in direction of the South, is the deposit Breezes of the Cuyuí, of the Corporation Gold Reserve, whereas the Cristinas has to Crystallex like operating company

• Isidro Casanova

Although he did not give details, the president of the Republic, Hugo Chavez announced through his Aló program President Teórico, who the mines of the South of Guayana will be developed with associative companies, Venezuela putting the mines and the partners the capital, which he would be settled himself with the same gold production.

They lacked the details, but the President said that the mine to give in association is greatest of the world, which gives to understand that he treats mines in the Claritas. In the Claritas, parish San Isidro, Sifontes municipality, the South of the state Bolivar, are the deposits the Cristinas and next to this, in direction of the South, is the deposit Breezes of the Cuyuni, of the Corporation Gold Reserve, whereas the Cristinas has to Crystallex like operating company, the two of Canadian capital.

- In the South of Guayana - president Chávez- said we have the greatest mine of the world. That mine can be developed by Russian capital although we are receiving an assignment of Chinese industralists, arranged to invest.

In this same point, the president mentioned part of the economic agreements that Venezuela maintains with China, referring a bottom to which that country is injecting him million dollars, for which Venezuela offers gold and petroleum in guarantee.

- The business of gold is quite attractive - it added because while all the raw materials register fall of their prices, the gold continues raising.

Two great deposits wait for their execution

In the Claritas are both great deposits. Some geologists consider that the deposits of the Cristinas and Brisas of the Cuyuní are one same one, inasmuch as they are together, divided by a small gorge.

Both projects partially are explored and with quantifications of the found reserves.

The unique difference of both projects, aside from the amount of quantified gold, corresponds to the condition in which are the companies that are to the front of the same. Gold Reserve is concessionary of the deposit Breezes of the Cuyuni, whereas Crystallex is operator of the project the Cristinas. The contract was granted by the CVG that is the concessionary company.

Both deposits have geologic studies and they have not started because the Ministry of the Atmosphere has denied them the permissions. Spokesmen of the two companies have indicated that the realised environmental studies, tell on the scientific methodology that it is applied in these cases, but even so, they do not receive the environmental approval.

Consulted sources have considered that both projects could be approved by the Ministry of the Atmosphere, so soon Government decides the National it and much more if he is the same Government who assumes part or the totality of the investment.

To direction way.

One ounce of gold is equivalent to 32,15 grams. The kilo: 31,11 ounces troy.

Price of gold according to Central bank of Venezuela: 64,975 bolivars the kilo.

Price of gold in the parallel market: 145,145 bolivars the kilo.

The other difference, aside from the price, is that the gold that buys the Central bank of Venezuela is fused in bars, with a Law of approximately 900, whereas the gold that is commercialized in the streets of the municipalities of the South, is amalgamated or in dust, known like gross gold.

The concessionaires follow the front of their deposits

He does about 15 days we consulted to Arthur Rivero, representatives of the Breeze concession of the Cuyuni, about the announcements of refusals of delivery of permissions to operate the deposit and responded saying that only he knows of the revocatory one of the environmental permission, more nothing, and therefore, they follow the front of the project. Meanwhile, Luis Felipe Cottin, president of the Crystallex company, expressed that they continue fulfilling the clauses subscribed in the 2002. The two last works, framed in the clauses, are the construction and beginning of the plant of served water treatment and the hospital that construct in center of the Claritas, whose execution is in 90%.

23 million ounces of gold

When the president of the republic Hugo Chavez says that in Guayana it is the greatest mine of the world, he could be basing the affirmation on the proven reserves, being pending the probable and possible reserves.

Although we need to both update the gold tenors of deposits, in the last months the information that has been handled the project the Cristinas has reserves proven by 13,6 million ounces of gold and 87 thousand tons of copper.

The proven reserves of the project Breezes are of almost 10 million ounces of gold. 60% of this amount are copper. With respect to copper, the company has said that the same will be profiteer during the process of gold. The copper would leave in pulp to final processing in Europe.