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Argentina is located at the southern end of South America. It is the second-largest country on the continent and the eighth-largest country in the world, covering a continental surface area of 2,791,810km² (1,078,000 sq mi) which extends from latitude 22°S to 55°S. As a result, the climate of Argentina is varied, ranging from subtropical in the extreme north to the sub Antarctic in the extreme south. Argentina has rich natural resources, an export-oriented agricultural sector and a diversified industrial base.
Argentina has a population of 36.1 million and Spanish is the official language.
The country has a Federalist system of government. There are 23 provinces. The Federal capital city is Buenos Aires, located on the banks of Rio de la Plata in the Province of Buenos Aires on the east coast of Argentina. The constitution divides the federal government into three powers: executive, legislative and judicial. The executive power is vested by the President and the Vice-President of the Argentine Republic, holding offices for a four-year term. The current President is Senora Cristina Kirchner. The legislative power is vested in the Congress and the judicial power is exercised by the Supreme Court of Justice and by other lower courts.
The mining act and regulations are under the jurisdiction of the Federal government established by the Federal Congress and mandated in the 1884 Mining Code, as amended and complemented. Natural resources fall under Provincial jurisdiction. The provinces appoint regulatory authorities and provide procedural mining regulations that individuals and companies must follow in order to be awarded property and mining rights. Exploration concessions granted are subject to specific terms, but resulting exploitation concessions are perpetual.
The Federal Mining Investment Law provides special benefits that reduce the economic burden and risk.
- 30% flat rate on taxable income;
- 3% royalty on the value of the ore in the pit (not an NSR on the end product);
- GST (21%) refundable from exploration;
- Exploration Cannon Fees: US$0.30 per hectare
- Mining Cannon Fees: up to US$30.00 per hectare
Recently a new export 5% tax was set into effect and the companies have gone to the court to declare the tax unconstitutional.
Argentina has a complex geological framework with rocks extending from the Proterozoic up to young active volcanoes. Mineral deposits have similar variety and include Precambrian massive sulphides in Western Argentina. Shear hosted gold deposits occur in Paleozoic rocks in Central Argentina, Jurassic epithermal gold deposits in Patagonia, Tertiary porphyries and epithermal high sulphidation deposits on the border with Chile and Quaternary lithium and borax deposits. Argentina is one of the countries of South America with the largest diversity of geology and mineral deposits.
Over the past 20 years, Argentina has become a significant gold and copper producer in Latin America with an increasingly regional relevance and potentially worldwide. In 1990, seven mining companies were operating in Argentina; today there are 55 companies. Virtually all major mining companies have interests or offices in the Argentina and 10 mines are under construction or have recently opened, for a total investment of US$ 8.7 billion dollars over 10 years according to the Argentinean Office of Mining.
During the 90's the Latin American mining sector in general and particularly Argentina, radically changed its mining investment regulations and policies to become a target of middle size and large scale foreign investment for both medium and long term projects. Investment in exploration and mining is increasing and Argentina expects to continue to grow into a successful modern mining country.
Paraguay is a small land-locked country covering 406,752 km2. It has a population of 5.7 million with 57% of the population living in the rural area and 43% in the urban areas. Climate is subtropical having an average temperature of 22.5C and an average rainfall of 1,500 mm. The economy is centered in agriculture and cattle grazing as well as industrial processing of food and timber. Paraguay is the largest exporter of hydro electric power in South America.
The Constitution of 1992 establishes Paraguay as a Republic based on the representative, democratic and participative form of government, separation of powers principle, judicial independence and respect for civil rights. The state is divided in three powers: the President, who is elected for a period of 5 years, the legislative chambers (senates and deputies) and the judicial power composed of the Supreme Court formed by 5 members, the court of appeals and district judges.
The President is Fernando Lugo from the Liberal Party.
Paraguay has recently changed its mining law. A claim is granted as a prospecting permit for 1 year plus 6 month extension, then a 2 year exploration permit, plus 1 year extension. After both stages, the claim can be transformed into a mining concession that lasts 20 years renewable each 5 years. Claims can be concessions from the beginning in the prospecting stage. VAT tax is 10% and the maximum income tax is 27.5%. There are no mining royalties.
The extent of the mineral resources in Paraguay is potentially vast.
In 1959 the United States Geological Survey published a Professional Paper with the mineral potential of the Country. Anschuzts Corporation was the first mining company that carried on a significant exploration effort on a 65,000 km2 claim block between 1979 and 1983. After that Yamana in the 90's explored for gold many targets defined previously by Anschutz, including several alkalic intrusives. They manage to attract Newmont in JV the Sapucai Alkalic Complex. Only recently Paraguay is starting to attract attention from the exploration companies thanks to a favorable mining law and significant exploration potential.
Paraguay is located between the Brazilian Shield and Andean Orogene. Paraguay can be divided in two separate geologic blocks: western Paraguay (Chaco) is composed of a basin filled with modern sediments and very limited mineral potential. Eastern Paraguay (also known as "oriental") is composed of several cratonic blocks ranging in age from 3.8by, 2.9by and 2.7by. These cratons are formed by Greenstones belts, granite gneisses and granulites, schist and quartzites. The younger base-ment is formed by 950-550 million years rocks composed of low-medium grade metasediments, limestones, and acid rocks. Basins between the cratons are filled with Lower Paleozoic to Mesozoic continental sediments. Mesozoic to Tertiary alkalic and tholeitic mafic lavas related to the birth of the Ocean extend across the country in NW rifts cutting across both basins and cratons.
Paraguay exploration potential is untested; however, gold, iron, copper, manganese, uranium, tin, lead barium and silver occurrences have been known in the country for many years. Paraguay has  favorable geology to explore for gold in Mesozoic alkalic intrusives, Greenstone Belt gold in the Precambrian Shield, uranium in the Permian sedimentary basin and iron in the Precambrian Shield.
Paraguay offers excellent exploration potential. It is a new frontier for mineral exploration in a stable and democratic environment. The exploration potential of the country is essentially untapped.
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