I asked Richard several questions about the area around Crystalex's Las Crystinas Camp.

I too had noriced 11 buildings in ones area. I asked if those were sanctioned co-op miners. I also asked about the 'river' there.....mistakenly

Richard basically confirmed what EZ said......the destruction around the camp was from illegal mining in the 60-70-80's. He said pictures taken back then, and pictures taken now, would show little change....the soil is full of several poisonous chemicals...ie, mercury, arsenic and others. He said that Placer Dome wrote about this in an EIS report in 1994.

He also said that there are several building around the camp....plus a National Guard Barracks.......

The water channels I saw, that I thought was indication of a river/creek, are from rainy season runoff. The enviromental plan calls for a diversion channel dug from above the damaged area, around the camp, and then back into the water basin......in othe rwords, a new place for the rainy season water to go, alowing the damaged area to dry up and stay that way, so it can be reclaimed.

So I concurr with what EZ has been trying to get across....to one ugly looking dude....that what we see on the satelite pic's are very old news, and will remain looking like that for decades more, unless Crystallex gets the go ahead, and gets to work on the reclamation process.

I have no doubts whatsoever that Richard is well aware of the situation there, and is being straight. I did not ask if and or where any co-op mining might be taking place that is sanctioned.

Pen