AHC: Scandinavian Patagonia

[katchen]

Don't forget Western Patagonia---the fjords.They may be unsettled in our TL but that's because they have not been in the possession of people who grew up in country like them and know how to make a living from them. Norwegians will be right at home in the fjordlands of what is in our TL Southern Chile, starting with the Chonos Archipelago, the Taitao Peninsula, the Cisnes, Palena and Simpson River Valleys OTL. The river valleys in particular, narrow strips of land that they are lead right through the mountains into the interior where they broaden out into grasslands that can be harvested for hay and are far more productive than the cold desert further east. And there is even more land to farm around the lakes like what is OTL Lago Buenos Aires.
And the Norwegian and Swedish settlers will very quickly see the Indians corralling the seemingly wild guanucos once a year and pulling off or shaving off the wool from them which they weave into felt clothing. And they will do the same thing only they will card the wool, weave it on their looms and send it home to Sweden where it will command a higher price than English woolens. And an industry will be born--especially when the settlers discover alpacas and vicunas from further north.
Also, Tierra Del Fuego, unlike farther north in Patagonia is not desert. In fact the area around the Magellan Straits is well enough watered for crops all the way north to the Chico Basin. So Tierra Del Fuego and the Strait of Magellan will have a relatively dense population with the other dense population centers being Viedma/Rio Negro San Antonio Oeste OTL on the Atlantic and Puerto Montt OTL on the Pacific, again near relatively large, well watered areas with good harbors. Which means that also unlike OTL, the Scandinavian Patagonian settlement will claim and settle, as much as practicable, the Antarctic Peninsula 600 miles South of Patagonia. And most likely South Georgia, South Orkney and the South Sandwich Islands even if the British do settle the Falkland Islands. And in some of these places and on the mainland, reindeer may be introduced.
Don't count on Argentina's territorial integrity being completely respected after independence, especially if and once Argentina breaks down into civil war. The British may be able to protect Buenos Aires, Montevideo and Chile since they are close to the coast but the Andes littoral, places from Nequen to Mendoza, San Juan all the way to Tucuman', Salta, Juyjuy and into Bolivia are as vulnerable to Scandia-American incursion as the Northern Mexican West was to American incursion OTL and almost impossible for another power to guarantee with the Andes getting in the way. And the Andes are very seductive, still having a great deal of gold and silver resources. It can be a case of settle first, demand annexation later. as happened so often in the American West.

 

[Petete123123]

Don't forget Western Patagonia---the fjords.They may be unsettled in our TL but that's because they have not been in the possession of people who grew up in country like them and know how to make a living from them. Norwegians will be right at home in the fjordlands of what is in our TL Southern Chile, starting with the Chonos Archipelago, the Taitao Peninsula, the Cisnes, Palena and Simpson River Valleys OTL. The river valleys in particular, narrow strips of land that they are lead right through the mountains into the interior where they broaden out into grasslands that can be harvested for hay and are far more productive than the cold desert further east. And there is even more land to farm around the lakes like what is OTL Lago Buenos Aires.
And the Norwegian and Swedish settlers will very quickly see the Indians corralling the seemingly wild guanucos once a year and pulling off or shaving off the wool from them which they weave into felt clothing. And they will do the same thing only they will card the wool, weave it on their looms and send it home to Sweden where it will command a higher price than English woolens. And an industry will be born--especially when the settlers discover alpacas and vicunas from further north.
Also, Tierra Del Fuego, unlike farther north in Patagonia is not desert. In fact the area around the Magellan Straits is well enough watered for crops all the way north to the Chico Basin. So Tierra Del Fuego and the Strait of Magellan will have a relatively dense population with the other dense population centers being Viedma/Rio Negro San Antonio Oeste OTL on the Atlantic and Puerto Montt OTL on the Pacific, again near relatively large, well watered areas with good harbors. Which means that also unlike OTL, the Scandinavian Patagonian settlement will claim and settle, as much as practicable, the Antarctic Peninsula 600 miles South of Patagonia. And most likely South Georgia, South Orkney and the South Sandwich Islands even if the British do settle the Falkland Islands. And in some of these places and on the mainland, reindeer may be introduced.
Don't count on Argentina's territorial integrity being completely respected after independence, especially if and once Argentina breaks down into civil war. The British may be able to protect Buenos Aires, Montevideo and Chile since they are close to the coast but the Andes littoral, places from Nequen to Mendoza, San Juan all the way to Tucuman', Salta, Juyjuy and into Bolivia are as vulnerable to Scandia-American incursion as the Northern Mexican West was to American incursion OTL and almost impossible for another power to guarantee with the Andes getting in the way. And the Andes are very seductive, still having a great deal of gold and silver resources. It can be a case of settle first, demand annexation later. as happened so often in the American West.

Southern Patagonia is truly in the cards, being acessible mostly from sea. As far as I know, Chilean fjords are low populated, and wasn't muchof a state priority to populate them.

The problem with northern Patagonia, while a lot better, is what to do with Carmen de Patagones and how do you pull the Irrigation works needed. Because if you just send people, they are going to die of hunger. Specially Norwegians and Swedishmen who are not used to irrigation and semi-deserts. The small, but natural farmland is way further inland. Either in Choele-Choel or in the Alto Valle. Getting in and out of there is not as easy as it sounds.

Getting Northern Patagonia requires a well supplied garrison, with several forts acrross the Rio Colorado. Someone has to explain how Scandinavians pull this with their nearest base being Bergen. Natives will raid them to starvation otherwise.

Two areas for consideration are the valleys of the Chubut and the Santa Cruz rivers.

At the time the Andes was the most populated area in the country. Your limit to the north is the border of Neuquen and Mendoza, being generous till logistics to settle that are solved.

 

[Ultima Ratio]

Getting Northern Patagonia requires a well supplied garrison, with several forts acrross the Rio Colorado. Someone has to explain how Scandinavians pull this with their nearest base being Bergen. Natives will raid them to starvation otherwise.

Perhaps they start establishing fortified fishing/whaling settlements, later even larger harbors? Could the natives take on fortifications?

 

[Petete123123]

Perhaps they start establishing fortified fishing/whaling settlements, later even larger harbors? Could the natives take on fortifications?

Problem is, at the mouth of Rio Negro, the entrance to Northern Patagonia, you already got the town of Carmen de Patagones. Whatever you attempt they are already there.

This is going to be your most powerful fort. Fire loves them.

And to get that wood, you either use your ships or go 1000km up river and then 200km by feet to the forests.

Its not a cakewalk. You got to come with something clever for it to happen

 

[arctic warrior]

(not that this is easy as pie mind you, due to conflicting interest specially between the Danish Nobles, itching for a good fight in North Germany

Actually the work of the Danish royal family not nobility!
The nobility of the Duchies were either homegrown or migrated from other German lands. Danish nobility did what it could to rein in the Kings within the Kingdom which was why Christian 4 entered the TYW as Duke of Holstein - NOT King of Denmark; though he did manage to push the Kingdom into it eventually.

 

[unprincipled peter]

petete,
In my first post, I clearly spelled out the biggest problem to settlement of Patagonia (and southern Pampas) was the natives. That's first and foremost the problem, and the reason few Europeans moved into the area til the late 1800's. Second is that most, if not all, of Patagonia is NOT prime real estate, especially in the 1800's. There's a reason it's so sparsely populated, even today.

 

[Umbral]

It seems to me we are having a bit of a confused discussion, because we are talking about different points in time. With an early POD, we can have a stronger, united Scandinavia, and a weaker UK.

But Patagonia is really not high on the list of desirable colonies. A strong Scandinavia is going to go for the much closer Canada and eastern US. One solution would be some kind of treaty or papal decision that cedes southern south america to Scandinavia on paper.

If we go with a latter POD, whaling and fishing makes Patagonia more interestin, and it is one of the few areas left under native control. Scandianvia could start off with control of the islands.

Is there any chance of the natives being united by a charismatic leader, forming a united front that the Scandinavians could treaty with? Join forces against the Argentinians or their TTL equvalent?

 

[Petete123123]

petete,
In my first post, I clearly spelled out the biggest problem to settlement of Patagonia (and southern Pampas) was the natives. That's first and foremost the problem, and the reason few Europeans moved into the area til the late 1800's. Second is that most, if not all, of Patagonia is NOT prime real estate, especially in the 1800's. There's a reason it's so sparsely populated, even today.

Sure, the natives is the biggest problem for outright settlement. But they have to go somewhere. I remind we are talking about Natives in the Pampas, the Pampas(quite original name) and the Ranqueles, which as a people I include with those inhabiting the valleys of Rio Negro and Nequen up to Piedra del Aguila +/-. They won't go south, it's certain death, besides it is populated by the more peaceful Tehuelches. Besides, the colony won't have the means of doing so.

So you either get them to die, or you make them go North. A surplus of supplies in exchange of going to live to the Northern bank of the Colorado river won't be to difficult to get, all of the cattle they raided was there anyway.

It's not prime land for sure. But with Irrigation it's a whole different level. European agriculture would do fine in there. The thing is nobody really cared to get it to all its potential magnitude. The valleys of Rio Negro, Limay, Colorado, Chubut and Santa Cruz rivers and the Bolson area.

If you came to Argentina, why would you go there, where almost no work was done, when you could just go to Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Santa Fe or Entre Rios. Mendoza is an example of development with almost no water, all thanks to trade and wine. The Rio Negro alone has like 10 times more water than the whole creeks system in Mendoza.

So if you get the works done, people will come. You could have almost 10 million people in Rio Negro and Neuquen alone, supposing enough people come.
At Icelandic levels, Tierra del Fuego would support 1 million people. The great lakes 2 or 3 million. The fjords a million at most I guess. Continental Magellan strait maybe half a million. This always supposing people come and also in southern areas turn to a diet with considerable amounts of sea food.

It seems to me we are having a bit of a confused discussion, because we are talking about different points in time. With an early POD, we can have a stronger, united Scandinavia, and a weaker UK.

But Patagonia is really not high on the list of desirable colonies. A strong Scandinavia is going to go for the much closer Canada and eastern US. One solution would be some kind of treaty or papal decision that cedes southern south america to Scandinavia on paper.

If we go with a latter POD, whaling and fishing makes Patagonia more interestin, and it is one of the few areas left under native control. Scandianvia could start off with control of the islands.

Is there any chance of the natives being united by a charismatic leader, forming a united front that the Scandinavians could treaty with? Join forces against the Argentinians or their TTL equvalent?

With an earlier POD, you could have no Spanish settlemnt in Argentina or the Pampas-

I stand my point about Tierra del Fuego. Get a few thousand in late 18th century and you could do wonders. Problem is what other powers do in reaction.

No Native front. These are the times Natives where seen as barbarian and candidates to elimination, reeducation, whatever you choose. Besides, they weren't all against Argentina and Chile. Charismatic leaders existed, like Calfulcurá. But it's a problem to defend them when the UK money is behind you pressing for those lands to be conquered for business and railroads.

Besides, I insist that Scandinavians would do like shit in this kind of warfare. It's raid each other quickly and escape. Work with almost no supply lines. Survive by eating wild cattle. You got a nice wood fort? It would be a pity someone burnt it.

 

[Joseph Solis in Australia]

Tierra del Fuego is exactly a Southern clone of Scandinavia especially Norway or Iceland.

Untapped national resources of Patagonia are suitable for Scandinavian needs to thrive within Argentine or Chilean society. The prophecy of Alberdi to have Argentina populated with educated Nordics would have been realized had those millions of Scandinavians emigrated to US, emigrated to Argentina instead.

Just imagine how would Argentine or Chilean society evolve with mainly Scandinavian or Germanic-populated Tierra del Fuego and Patagonia while Southern Europeans as in OTL populated the Pampas.

 

[Petete123123]

Tierra del Fuego is exactly a Southern clone of Scandinavia especially Norway or Iceland.

Untapped national resources of Patagonia are suitable for Scandinavian needs to thrive within Argentine or Chilean society. The prophecy of Alberdi to have Argentina populated with educated Nordics would have been realized had those millions of Scandinavians emigrated to US, emigrated to Argentina instead.

Just imagine how would Argentine or Chilean society evolve with mainly Scandinavian or Germanic-populated Tierra del Fuego and Patagonia while Southern Europeans as in OTL populated the Pampas.

Not much would change. If its still Argentina there wont be many coming. Besides, power is still in Buenos Aires. We have quite some descendants of Germans which dont make us behave as such.

 

[Opunium]

Britain has more success in its campaign to conquer La Plata and it is more 'brutal', but ultimately it still fails. However they create a sense of fear among the people of the Brits returning. When a few years later they become independent Chile and Argentina remain united and one it's first priorities, after being recognised by Spain, is to colonize Patagonia (because out of fear of the British, who own the Falklands and thus could land on the mainland and border the La Platans, something the frightend La Platans dont want). These factors combined also make La Plata more liberal* (probably even the most important point).

Meanwhile in Europe Scandinavia gets screwed in the congress of Vienna and many of them are dissatisfied (Maybe entire Lappland to Russia and Norway back to Denmark?). La Plata sees this and encourages Scandinavians (Norwegians) to come live in the Fjords, just like their homeland. Thus you would have Scandinavians living in the Fjords of OTL Southern Chile and Tierra del Fuego. From these fjords the inland of Patagonia is colonised by Scandinavian, (North) German and Welsh shepherds. The Welsh and (South) Germans also tend to colonize (from) the Eastcoast of Patagonia. These shepards find some good resources and thus German and Polish miners are brought in to work in those mines. These resources are then brought to the biggest Scandinavian Patagonian port city (by railway) from where on they are sold to other countries/merchants or shipped to Buenos Aires.

Because of longer Scandinavian presence the new immigrants assilimate into the Norse culture and thus Scandinavian language remains important in Patagonia for quite some time. It is however slowly and ultimately being replaced by the official Spanish. However they could remain a (big) minority language. Of course they do have big cultural impact and Patagonia is very Northern European/German culture alike (cuisine, traditions etc.), however their language would eventually be replaced by Spanish, so like English did in the USA among Irish, Italians, Germans and so on.

*IOTL Untill 1994 (!) the Argentine president was required to be catholic. Since most Scandinavians, German, Welsh are protestant this is probably one of the features you want to eliminate, because this would open a door for them. Just require the President to Christian, like the USA does IOTL. The funny thing is Catholicism could open a door for possible Irish immigration, and more Poles too.

 

[Petete123123]

Britain has more success in its campaign to conquer La Plata and it is more 'brutal', but ultimately it still fails. However they create a sense of fear among the people of the Brits returning. When a few years later they become independent Chile and Argentina remain united and one it's first priorities, after being recognised by Spain, is to colonize Patagonia (because out of fear of the British, who own the Falklands and thus could land on the mainland and border the La Platans, something the frightend La Platans dont want). These factors combined also make La Plata more liberal* (probably even the most important point).

No sir, with independence in 1810s logistics murder this baby country before it even walks. Diferent culture and interests, which would make one of them to rebel. Have fun retaking it.

 

[Opunium]

No sir, with independence in 1810s logistics murder this baby country before it even walks. Diferent culture and interests, which would make one of them to rebel. Have fun retaking it.

So why didnt the Welsh do it OTL? They are freed from an opressive regime and come live in freedom with plenty of food and prosperity. They are happy and with the more liberal La Plata there would be no reason to revolt. Just like the Welsh OTL (who even lived in a more 'opressive' OTL Argentina).

But fine, add some 'real' La Platans in it who are the elite and an army regiment. But majority Scandinavians so the language exists, like the Original Poster wanted.

 

[Petete123123]

So why didnt the Welsh do it OTL? They are freed from an opressive regime and come live in freedom with plenty of food and prosperity. They are happy and with the more liberal La Plata there would be no reason to revolt. Just like the Welsh OTL (who even lived in a more 'opressive' OTL Argentina).

But fine, add some 'real' La Platans in it who are the elite and an army regiment. But majority Scandinavians so the language exists, like the Original Poster wanted.

You got me wrong. I was talking about La Plata. Thats the one not surviving. The Welsh had to accept Argentine rule.

 

[Odd_Numbered_Bonaparte]

The problem is that if they are still part of Argentina or an English version thereof they are gong to largely end up assimilating into the wider culture sooner or later. Take the US, you have a wide, fairly well defined area that was settled almost exclusively by Germans and Scandinavians, but by today they are more or less indistinguishable from Anglophone Canadians or their cousins in the Irish/Dutch/English/Italian/Polish melting pot of the East coast.
Your either going to need the area to separate before real nationalism takes hold or have the area under a separate, Scandinavian dominated subnational unit like Lower Canada was for the Francophones long enough prior to independence for a bi-national identity to emerge.

 

[katchen]

Let's take a closer look at an earlier foundation for a Swedish colony on Tierra del Fuego. And it would have to be founded on Tierra del Fuego and in what is OTL the Beagle Channel, since if it was founded in "Magellanfiorden" the first armed Spanish ship that came upon it would kill everyone and burn it to the ground in 1637-38. Yes, this is New Christiana. The Mayflower was not blown off course. Plymouth Plantations is on Manhattan Island. And New Amsterdam is on the west side of the Deleware River, where Wilmington DE is ITTL. While Boston is on Narragansett Bay, Concord New Hampshire is on Massachesetts Bay and Roger William's colony is at what is OTL, Riverhead NY on Long Island.
That being the case, the Swedish America company is faced with a number of difficult choices. Newfoundland may well be too cold and either the French or English are likely to drive them off because both their fishermen need to dry their catch from the Grand Banks on the Newfoundland beaches. Labrador IS too cold. So is Hudson's Bay, and Hudson's Bay is little known.
The coast south of Virginia is claimed by England and Spain and not known for fur, which is needed for a quick profit. Beyond that is Spanish, Florida, the Caribbean, the Guianas, Dutch Brazil (which is at least good for a port call), the Spanish La Plata and then Patagonia and the Straits of Magellan, the last place on the American Atlantic coast left unsettled.
Reading the accounts of Magellan's voyage of a hundred years previous, one can see that there are large numbers of seals on the beaches that can be killed for their skins, and that will provide a profit. And while the land is too cold for Spaniards to live on, the accounts of how Magellan wintered over show that the winter is not so long that Swedes, Norwegians or Finns cannot grow crops in this land. There are trees in the western mountains of Magellanfjord. And there is an animal called the guanuco that the Indians catch once a year and pull or shave wool off of to make felt clothing off of. Magellan and his crew saw the Indians doing it when they wintered over at the Gulf of St. Julian. They build corrals and herd them into those corrals. After they got the fleece off them, they let them go until next year.
Guanaco fibre[edit]

Guanaco fibre is particularly prized for its soft, warm feel and is found in luxury fabric. The guanaco's soft wool is valued second only to that of the vicuña. The pelts, particularly from the calves, are sometimes used as a substitute for red fox pelts, because the texture is difficult to differentiate. Like their domestic descendant, the llama, the guanaco is double coated with a coarse guard hair and soft undercoat, which is about 16-18 µ in diameter and comparable to the best cashmere.[13]
Animal Fiber diameter
(micrometres) Vicuña 6–10 Alpaca (Suri) 10–15 Muskox (Qivlut) 11–13 Merino 12–20 Angora Rabbit 13 Cashmere 15–19 Yak Down 15–19 Camel Down 16–25 Guanaco 16–18 Llama (Tapada) 20–30 Chinchilla 21 Mohair 25–45 Alpaca (Huacaya) 27.7 Llama (Ccara) 30–40


When colonists start to weave the guanuco fiber in their looms, they will soon realize that they have a much superior wool to sheep wool. And that wool turns a good profit when the Swedish company takes it home to Sweden.



Because Magellanfjord is the passage the Spanish use to move ships from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans, the Spanish will be desperate to destroy a Swedish settlement in Patagonia unless it is too well established to destroy by the time they find it. Therefore New Christiana must be established on Tierra del Fuego (or NieuAland)--on the Beagle Channel, probably near Ushuaia. Once the settlement has several thousand people and is protected by a regiment of Finn soldiers and fortifications with cannon, a satellite settlement can be established on Magellanfjorden that can block off the fjord if necessary. Expeditions can be sent out to a) funnel trap and shear guanuco and b) kill and skin seals and c) kill and harvest whales
After an unsuccesful attempt to dislodge New Sweden, the Spanish quickly discover that it is possible to round Cape Horn, at least some times during the year and they start doing so. The Spanish build a settlement on the Rio Negro but the Swedes build a settlement on the Chubut and settle the West Coast up to what is Puerto Montt OTL. by 1680. Unlike the Chileans OTL, the Swedes bring in Norwegians who know exactly how to build small settlements in fjords between high mountain walls that utilize a combination of a little agricultural land, fishing and dairy and guanuco grazing land.
Settlement does not stay limited to Patagonia for very long either, nor was it ever planned to. From Tierra del Fuego to
Having read "The Fatal Shore", you know that the south coast of Australia was a prime breeding ground for seals. And the southwest coast of Australia is 6500 miles from Tierra del Fuego with prevailing winds that may well make possible speeds of 200 miles per day. This is well within the limits of a sailor's health once Australia has been discovered and still easier once new colonies have been established in Australia. And from New Zealand back to Tierra del Fuego is only 4500 miles, also via the prevailing sesterlies.
Contrast that with going the other direction. 3500 miles up the Chilean coast to the Tropic of Capricorn to pick up the Southeasterly Trade winds. 2500 miles to Easter Island if one finds it. Another 1500 miles to the Toumontou Islans if one dosen't --or a little longer to the Marquesas, which aren't that friendly further north. Then possible stops at Tahiti, Samoa, not very friendly stops at Fifi, New Hebrides (but sandalwood to be had) , the east coast of Australia, avoid the Great Barrier Reef, around New Guinea, Micronesia, avoid the Philippines and arrive at the China coast to trade sealskins, guanaco woolens and maybe sandalwood for silk and tea. And then back again.
And yes, there is gold and silver in Patagonia as well as Australia, although whether or not Patagonia's gold can be found without modern prospecting techniques is not certain:
Deseado Massif reveals more high grade discoveries (June 06, 2011)

TEXT SIZE

By: Ian Bickis
Vancouver 2011-06-06 Argentina's Deseado Massif has seen ongoing precious metals exploration for close to 20 years, but junior explorers continue to demonstrate the area's significant hidden potential.
The geological structure, in the southerly Santa Cruz province, is estimated to span anywhere from 60,000 to 100,000 sq. km and is dominated by felsic volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks with a number of low-sulphidation epithermal gold-silver deposits. The area remained largely unexplored until 20 years ago thanks in part to younger basalts that mask the underlying geology and the large swaths of land covered by marine sediments and gravels.
The area first caught the mining world's attention when exploration began in earnest in the early 1990s at what turned into the Cerro Vanguardia gold-silver mine. Operational since 1998, the mine is now 92.5% owned by AngloGold Ashanti (AU-N) and produced 45,000 oz. gold in the last quarter.
Since then other majors have developed mines in the area, with Coeur d'Alene Mines (CDM-T, CDE-N) opening its Martha silver mine in 2005, Pan American Silver (PAA-T) firing up its Manantial Espejo gold-silver mine in 2008, Hochschild Mining (HOC-L) and Minera Andes (MAI-T) jointly opening the San Jose gold-silver mine the same year, and Goldcorp (G-T, GG-N) spending $3.6 billion last year to acquire Andean Resources and its advanced Cerro Negro gold project.
And while the big mining companies scoop up advanced projects, a number of juniors have quickly advanced their own projects in the region with promising news delivered in recent weeks.
Extorre Gold Mines (XG-T, XG-X) is currently the market darling with its high-grade Cerro Moro project. Already showing clear progress since being spun out of Exeter Resource (XRC-T, XRA-X) in early 2010, the company has taken off since discovering a new high-grade target in April that it called Zoe.
The Zoe discovery was a near-blind discovery with the outcrop assaying only 0.34 gram gold and 115 grams silver. Results so far have included 4.8 metres grading 64.6 grams gold per tonne and 7,530 grams silver per tonne from 89 metres depth, 8.6 metres carrying 39.9 grams gold and 4,056 grams silver from 136 metres downhole, and 3.5 metres averaging 60.7 grams gold and 1,875 grams silver from 236 metres depth.
Extorre's share price has risen from $5.50 at the beginning of April to $10.89 on May 24 since releasing the results and getting approval for its environmental impact assessment on the project. The company has 88 million shares outstanding.
Mirasol Resources (MRZ-T) is also making steady progress in the area: Coeur d'Alene recently announced it would move ahead to the feasibility stage to earn 61% in Mirasol's Joaquin project, Pan American Silver recently signed a letter of intent to earn into its Espej project, and the company continues to advance its wholly owned Santa Rita project.
In 2009 Mirasol discovered a cluster of high-grade silver veins at Santa Rita that it named the Virginia Vein zone. Mid-May drill results from the Julia Central and Naty veins at Virginia returned true widths of 29.1 metres grading 251 grams silver from 33.6 metres depth, 26.6 metres averaging 230 grams silver from 47 metres depth, and 2.3 metres grading 1,309 grams silver from 36 metres downhole.
Mid-April results, from the same two veins plus Julia North, returned true widths including 36.5 metres grading 312 grams silver, 2.7 metres grading 1,649 grams silver, 40.8 metres averaging 172 grams silver and 44.6 metres averaging 142 grams silver.
At Joaquin, Coeur d'Alene recently announced it would take the project through the feasibility stage to increase its ownership to 61%. Mirasol recently released an initial resource estimate for Joaquin that, combining sulphides and oxides, established 7.2 million indicated tonnes grading 85 grams silver for 19.7 million contained oz. silver. A combined sulphide-oxide inferred resource adds 13.8 million tonnes grading 108.1 grams silver for a further 48 million contained oz. silver.
Mirasol's share price recently closed at $6.05 with 38.3 million shares outstanding, while it has a 52-week share price range between $1.51 and $7.94.
Argentex Mining (ATX-V) has been busy at its Pinguino project, releasing high-grade silver hits from the Marta Este, Marta Sur and Marta Centro veins.
Results released in May include hole 369-11 that hit 5.8 metres grading 675.7 grams silver and 5.99 grams gold from 83 metres depth, hole 90-11 that cut 8 metres grading 470 grams silver and 1.64 grams gold from 8 metres downhole, and hole 96-11 that returned 7 metres averaging 121.9 grams silver and 2.77 grams gold from 17 metres depth.
To further advance Pinguino and its other properties, the company recently announced it was aiming to raise $20 million through a brokered private placement. Argentex is planning to sell up to 17.4 million units at $1.15 that contain a share and a half-warrant, with full warrants exercisable at $1.70 for 24 months.
The company hit a 52-week high of $1.69 in early May after climbing from a 52-week low of 45¢ last August and recently closing at $1.19.
Hunt Mining (HMX-V) also recently topped up its coffers with a $10-million bought-deal financing. The company is to issue 22.3 million units at 45¢ each, which will include a share and a half-warrant with full warrants exercisable at 65¢ for 24 months. The raise also includes a $1.5-million underwriter option. The company will put the money towards its Deseado Massif properties, with its La Josefina the most advanced.
Recent drilling on the Sinter area of La Josefina returned two wide intervals of gold mineralization. The first interval hit a true width of 19.5 metres grading 18.83 grams gold and included 3 metres of 62.87 grams gold. The second interval, drilled 300 metres north, returned a true width of 34 metres of 2.82 grams gold including 6.25 metres of 7.29 grams gold.
At the Amanda-Cecilia vein structure in the Veta Norte zone, recent results include 1.2 metres carrying 38.31 grams gold, 150.92 grams silver per tonne and 12.66% lead, and 2.4 metres grading 3.56 grams gold and 63.94 grams silver from roughly 35 metres depth, both true width. Finally, at the Veta Ailin structure in the Central zone of the La Josefina project, Hunt hit a true width of 2.4 metres carrying 188.52 grams gold, 171.88 and 14.84% lead from 12 metres downhole.
The company recently amended its earn-in schedule for the La Josefina project and should now earn its 91% ownership in 2012-2013 after completing a feasibility study.
Mariana Resources (MARL-L) and Patagonia Gold (PGD-L) are also active in the region.

 

[Opunium]

You got me wrong. I was talking about La Plata. Thats the one not surviving. The Welsh had to accept Argentine rule.

Just add Chile to the Argetine confederation. I dont see that a big problem, especially when they get some autonomy/more power in the senate. A Big Peruvian threat to the north would also help. Like in that one 1815 map game: Napoleon escaped St. Helena, went to Peru and became emperor and conquered Chile (And Ecuador IIRC). Such a threat would surely keep the Chileans in the Federation.

Well the Norwegians must accept it too

@Odd_Numbered_Bonaparte Yea, that's right. That why I said the language would eventually dissappear... Just like German in the US indeed: it exists for like 2 generations, and then it's starts to disappear. But of course this wouldnt mean they have had no influence, they did have a lot. The Norwegians could do the same here (in my opinion).