After some months of radio silence, I am back again, and I can’t wait for coming Monday to start my next 3 months Miningquest adventure. While the winter here in Vancouver never seems to end, I am heading down to the warmth of South America.. well not exactly, I have to admit. While I still remember having some good time in tropical Rio de Janeiro almost exactly 10 years ago, I am actually heading for the southernmost tip of the continent, .. it will be a little colder there, for sure.

There are many things I want to see on this trip. First, I hope to check out the southern most coal mine in the world close to Punta Arenas. I also try to catch a last minute ride to Antarctica, and yes while there is no mining there, Antarctica is a huge continent with plenty of resources. After seeing the Arctic Ocean months ago, it would be great to see the Antarctic Ocean, as well. I also want to see Patagonia, and the southern Fjords of Chile, an area that has seen many glacial episodes like in the northern hemisphere. Then I want to move to the central and northern part of Chile. I want to get some glimpses of the numerous mines and smelters, like I did 10 years ago when I visited El Teniente. There should be plenty of opportunity for it since Chile is the most important copper producing country in the world. Occasional I also try to detour into Argentina to have some gaucho food and visit friends. Another highlight will be to see the Atacama dessert and hopefully see some lithium operations. In Bolivia and Peru, I will try to see some old Inca remnants and visit some classic mines… all given that I can cope with the extreme altitudes. I might also go down into the jungle, after all I just got my yellow fever vaccination. In early June it is then time to head back to Vancouver, with I hope lots of memories of friends, food, places and an even greater appreciation of mining. I also hope to improve my Spanish, which I started to learn a month ago … with the help of Duolingo. Lets see if it makes a difference!

One major change for this adventure is that I had to restrict myself considerably in terms of what I bring. I decided that this time around I will rely on hostels and public transportation. The days are gone that I had my personal library stored in my car while visiting Alaska. I will only bring myself and a 45 liter carry-on bag that contains everything (sort of). After all, how does the best travel advice go? … “Bring half the stuff and double the money!” I am not sure about the money, but lets see how it all works out!

Estoy deseando que llegue!