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GEONAVITAS: the development of mining in Argentina has experienced remarkable growth over the past decade. Taking into account the political context and economic socio-cultural current How does deployment of mining in the next 10 years and in this election year in particular?
MANUEL benitez: no doubt, the Argentina in recent years has had a promotion in mineral development that has to do primarily with the archaeological wealth of the country, that it is a wealth of unexplored, an important asset and as we always say miners 'we came late to what has to do with the work of resources', but this has been a good news because it has allowed us to work mining Argentina with the latest technology.
Technology that is sophisticated, with the last thing it has in the world of mining work, enabling us to say that in our country working with high safety standards for workers and the environment. This has to do with the development and what is happening with the values of commodities, where the world is demanding all kinds of metals such as gold, copper, silver and salts like lithium or potassium.
The Argentina has all this wealth. We have it to the length and breadth of the land and mining permits the development of those places where there is no other source of economic growth, another source of development other than this activity. In provinces where between 80 and 85 percent is rock, but had been mining we would be talking about serious difficulties for the growth and when we speak of provinces speak of people, human beings with name and surname, flesh and bloodfrom mining can insert and stay in its territory and not to take their bags and go to other provinces that have other types of development, as it may have Buenos Aires, Cordoba and Santa Fe.
In past statements, you said that "For the sector is very important that Cristina Kirchner has publicly stated that the laws governing mining investments will be maintained without changes." does it continued to believe the same? What confronts mining this year?
In general terms are consistent with regulatory Plexus that the Argentina has to offer in terms of investment refers and the challenges that lie ahead. We are in favour clear of a law on glaciers, no doubt; What we want is to be precise in what has to do with the definitions, with sectors of the Argentina where develop different geologic time, different times of use of the water because the precision do development. Here has been generated in previous months a false dichotomy, a strong contradiction between what is caring for glaciers with the mining development or economic development of the country; and the truth is that there can be no possible contradiction. The world tells us that there is no such contradiction, that there are countries with a high care of its environment, its water, its glaciers as the most typical example is the Canada, but also happens in United States and the rest of Latin America where there are miningas well as in Australia, for example, where there is a harmonious development of the economy and mining and a harmonious development of the care of the environment and water.
We are confident that this can be done in a very clear and concrete way, the basic tool to enable it to be is the science. We also say that mining is science, technology and with the technical knowledge of the man can avoid contradictions or problems that may exist in relation to different types of development.
Taking for granted that mining is the mother of industries such as construction, medicine, metallurgy, tourism, agriculture and the purification of water is why believes that it costs so much to the sector overcome the stigma that has arisen around this activity?
Yes, said a very interesting word which is the stigma which has mining, and there are some considerations and reasons for this. Mining is an economic tool in the Argentina has very little time, a few years and is a very little-known area. Misinformation, lack of knowledge on a subject of economic development as technology such as mining in the world today, is that if not reported would be in principle a natural reaction to the unknown; on the other hand this disinformation and this ignorance generates some sectors with a particular interest cabalguen on this issue and speed up the contradiction. Finally, it has to do with the crisis of development, the Argentina few years ago have mining and discover a new way also generates questions. In the us from mining can resolve these questions, we can give a correct answer to the communication with regard to the communities in which we do, I have no doubt that this stigma that we are talking about is going to disappear, as it has disappeared in other parts of the world.
Many years ago the Argentina was at the Council of Nations at the height of Canada or Australia, the years passed and Canada and Australia have been developed and Argentina has been a little lentificada in this development. It is no coincidence that the two countries have capitalized on all of its mining resources generating a critical capital that enabled the development of other branches of industry, the knowledge or the economy in general. It is an example to follow, because when we speak today of Australia and Canada, we talk about developed societies that take care of their environment and have a reasonable economic framework; and if we look we are going to realize that they are two companies who have worked their economic matrix basically with the mining on the side. It seems to me that it is a good answer, not from discursive but from the reality of the facts.
Do you consider that communication by sector campaigns are effective? From cameras mining and other intermediate entities is observed a shy participation of companies in the defense of the mining activity with excuses such as "order to maintain a low profile" to what is this?
This has to do with the history that we are talking about, i.e., communication is a pending subject clearly. In a few years mining was growing and growing part of the economy also grew various consequences of this development. What we're learning from the mining companies is how to convey and how to communicate what he has to do with the task of each company, that has taken us some time. While we have a speed in communicating, that they do not understand the mining or her are unaware or have an interest in particular, they had a more dynamic mechanism with regard to the negative communication. However, we are working very seriously since the Argentina Chamber of mining entrepreneurs (CAEM), we have a communication plan that aims to tell the greatest number of Argentine citizens what is what we do, what is the mining, does mean; its importance and how it interacts with the various economic branches of the country, how take care of the environment and how we relate to the communities. This plan, which is already approved, will be in a short time in the streets. We are going to go out and have objectively and in a more easy and possible, without confrontation with no sector because everyone has the right to give their opinion of what he considers that we do. However, we are going to go out with the technique, science, truth and the good that has for all the Argentina mining. The advantage, perhaps, as the journalists say is that we left with the issue on Monday and we know what is happening in the world and we are going to tell, because there are many examples that confirm what is being done in the Argentina.
Why is installed in public opinion that the benefits generated by the mining only are it companies and is not in a specific social benefit?Will influence this and not, for example, phenomena such as the boom liming or lithium.
Mining is a whole because the rock has different expressions and in all these expressions the Argentina has capacity for growth, ores, both in copper or gold that are industrial minerals or you limes, rocks and the rock. That is why we say that 85 per cent, for example, this room (refers to press room where the interview takes place) comes from mining. The construction is pure rock and lime products you have a very important role not only in construction but also in what has to do with the industrialization of other minerals such as the opencast. In addition, opens a very important chapter which are salts of lithium and potassium salts.
The Argentina has a very interesting project involving several provinces, also is potassium from Colorado River which is essential for life and for other branches of industry such as the agro-ganadera, to the enrichment of soils. When we export agro-ganadería, we export minerals because everything you exported has to do with the mineral wealth which has every ground to generate wealth.
Potassium, as the nitrites and nitrates, also have to do with it, is a mineral and salts such the vedette by little-known and the future which has found in lithium. And speaking of lithium is also thinking in ecology, the environment, because they are salts which will allow us to lower the use of fuels derived from petroleum, as well as batteries for cell phones, computers and the possibility of some and real development of the electric car. In the last motor different models of different brands have been working with electric motors whose capacitors and charge batteries are manufactured with lithium. We have vast reserves between what is Bolivia, North of Argentina and Chile, we are talking about 85 percent of known reserves.
This is very important because there are various projects that are already working, there are also agreements with first class foreign automotive companies that have signed agreements with mining in order to work the lithium. Reason why it seems to me that in the entire area of the minerals we are going to go well, this is good news for the country, for mining, but basically for people.
Many times those who believe, do it from a bar in Santa Fe and Callao and do not know what is inside. People need to have an economic tool that allows you to stay in his province. We sometimes complain that in the Argentina everything comes to Buenos Aires, to the humid pampa, but that's natural because but there is work there is no possibility of living, there is no future for them or for their children. If we go through the interior and look at what is La Rioja, Catamarca, San Juan and Salta, let's see where it is impossible to settle if there is an economic tool. Mining, that is clearly so.
All the rest, this can be built from this very primary and very basic reasoning we add that worldwide minerals and demand that the Argentina has technology and most importantly, the professionals.
What assessment can do is professional resources of the area?
They are missing, but that there are very good training. There is a company of global excellence which has very important business in Peru and the technical responsible, the person in charge in the business of this international company mines, is a man born in San Juan and trained in the University public Argentina. This was not long, but from that mining was taking place, we have also developed very good training for professionals. Demand is great, it is missing, is an area of the University in which unemployment is zero and where there are guys that already being in third or fourth year of the race are being summoned by the companies, and that is good for the reflection of the Argentina in the world. The truth is that we we quietly, scientifically, stop to see the future with mining for the Argentina or the future of the Argentina mining and this is all good news.
Finally What do think of the situation in Mendoza with regard to the mining project San Jorge?
This has to do with the challenges of the mining, St. George is a fantastic project and will come to fruition.Because it will be good for the people, for the chain of projects that the Argentina deserves is very beneficial for the province of Mendoza. Why? We think one thing that is central, that mining generates genuine resources, resources that come to stay and not speculative, is thinking many years ahead. This beginning is a project that requires original and immediate early capital and which then generates wealth for many years. I can think to mention mining Aguilar is a company that eighty years ago that he is working on the Argentina, that generates work and wealth for a province such as Jujuy and many other projects that have started and are still generating work and development for all the Argentina.
It seems to me that the investment of this type is what the country needs |