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Why San Juan? Not only historical facts but also this vigorous present make up Argentine mining's indisputable reality today, a time in which world mining is setting a defining course for the most important processes of human evolution, where natural resources constitute the basis for development. In our country, the State, which for most of the twentieth century had not considered making minerals an integral part of economic development, by the end of the century became aware of its importance and stated, in 1992, that "mining will represent an ongoing commitment of the State, to which the government will devote its best efforts, working potential and spirit of service."

From that moment on --and even more before that-- San Juan had been claiming its voice to be heard when the National Government made its decisions. It was José Luis Gioja, at the beginning of his career as a representative to the Congress, who said: "San Juan is a province immersed in the mountains, even if we wanted to expand agriculture and livestock activities, nature prevents us from doing so, but we do have mineral resources and we should rely on them to ensure the progress of San Juan's inhabitants". His axiomatic reasoning has ever since resounded in all arenas, in the National Congress halls and at every decision-making center. During his tenure in the National Congress, where he also held a Senate seat, he has left a "mining trail" as a member of the mining commission for both chambers.

San Juan Mining José Luis Gioja was right when he said that "Valle del Cura was an Enchanted Valley" because it was there that appeared the country's most important gold mining project, Veladero. Today, Argentina is proud of this most significant symbol of mining development, a process which has finaly taken off in the country.

However, the mining policy in San Juan has not only been focused on precious metals such as gold and silver, but on a comprehensive outlook of San Juan's resources: copper, lead, zinc, industrial minerals, bentonites, calcites, clays, quartz, feldspar, sulfates, ornamental rocks, industrial limes, the most required by national and international industries. And the province defined a mining policy not only concerned with large-scale mining, but, mainly, with small and medium size companies and the spirited producers distributed throughout the province. Mining has brought endless opportunities to the province. San Juan inhabitants say that "large-scale mining has brought an economic boom in San Juan. In just two years, 400 companies and 10,000 individuals found new work and business opportunities; and all this without taking into consideration direct employment in the mine..." We have discussed San Juan's mining in several Panorama Minero issues: we presented the thought of government officials, politicians, entrepreneurs and professionals, and featured descriptions of all projects being developed in the province. Each and every industrial mineral found in San Juan was discussed in the publication special issues. Special Supplements were published on projects like Veladero and lime production in the Province. For all these reasons and based on studies carried out by Panorama Minero and Fundación para el Desarrollo de la Minería Argentina (FUNDAMIN) we are planning, organizing and presenting an International Seminar called: MINING IN SAN JUAN - A DRIVER OF REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, to portray the nature of a mining province like San Juan, and with the aim to showcase the real mining potential of San Juan to the international mining world.

This International Seminar, organized by Panorama Minero, will include special guests from Canada, Chile, Peru and Brazil as well as distinguished international participants. San Juan's mining companies, suppliers, professionals and government representatives will take part in this event, open to the general public. Our aim is to present a comprehensive picture of the mining industry in San Juan.