![Miners search for gold at the Isidora gold mine near the village Las Cristinas in southern Bolivar State, January 31, 2009. Located south of the Orinoco river and near a town bearing Miners search for gold at the Isidora gold mine near the village Las Cristinas in southern Bolivar State, January 31, 2009. Located south of the Orinoco river and near a town bearing](https://c8.alamy.com/compfr/2cj2tda/miners-search-for-gold-at-the-isidora-gold-mine-near-the-village-las-cristinas-in-southern-bolivar-state-january-31-2009-located-south-of-the-orinoco-river-and-near-a-town-bearing-the-name-of-the-mythical-golden-city-of-el-dorado-the-las-cristinas-deposit-captivates-miners-and-prospectors-even-though-no-ore-has-been-legally-dug-there-in-two-decades-to-match-feature-venezuela-gold-reuters-henry-romero-venezuela-environment-business-2cj2tda.jpg)
Miners search for gold at the Isidora gold mine near the village Las Cristinas in southern Bolivar State, January 31, 2009. Located south of the Orinoco river and near a town bearing
![Local miner Ruben Castilo uses a water jet to hose down the earth as he hunts for gold near at the village of Las Cristinas, in southern Bolivar State, January 30, 2009. Local miner Ruben Castilo uses a water jet to hose down the earth as he hunts for gold near at the village of Las Cristinas, in southern Bolivar State, January 30, 2009.](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2CMAE8X/local-miner-ruben-castilo-uses-a-water-jet-to-hose-down-the-earth-as-he-hunts-for-gold-near-at-the-village-of-las-cristinas-in-southern-bolivar-state-january-30-2009-four-centuries-after-the-lure-of-venezuelan-gold-brought-ruin-to-english-explorer-sir-walter-raleigh-the-riches-at-one-giant-mine-some-say-is-cursed-still-haunt-treasure-hunters-from-across-the-globe-but-the-las-cristinas-saga-involving-a-ghost-town-environmental-devastation-and-fist-sized-nuggets-underlines-the-risks-of-business-in-venezuela-where-the-draw-of-natural-wealth-has-been-dulled-by-rule-changes-and-economic-t-2CMAE8X.jpg)
Local miner Ruben Castilo uses a water jet to hose down the earth as he hunts for gold near at the village of Las Cristinas, in southern Bolivar State, January 30, 2009.
![Caso mina de Oro Las Cristinas: Minera canadiense demanda a PDVSA por US$ 2.800 millones – Cuentas Claras Digital Caso mina de Oro Las Cristinas: Minera canadiense demanda a PDVSA por US$ 2.800 millones – Cuentas Claras Digital](http://www.cuentasclarasdigital.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/goldmine630.jpg)