RE:Guatemala etc Judgement is often affected by a lack of knowledge and understanding of the subject. Here is a short explanation provided by WGC for the acronym "AISC".
"Use of the "all-in sustaining costs" (AISC) measure of gold production is on the rise, as it provides a more comprehensive look at costs than the traditional "cash cost" approach.
The AISC measure, finalized in June and supported strongly by the World Gold Council, includes other expenses such as general office spending and capital used in mine development and production to create a benchmark of a company's operating efficiency.
"The economics of gold mining have not been as well understood as they could be by a broad range of people including governments, communities and even employees,” said Terry Heymann of the WGC.
Goldcorp was among the first to alter its reporting standards, doing so at the beginning of 2013. The company's 2013 cash costs were forecast at $525 to $575 per ounce, and all-in sustaining cash costs were $1,000 to $1,100."