MxMining

I finally made it over to the 8th International Sonora Mining Seminar today and it was everything I expected. Lots of people pawning their goods and services - a great place to make contacts. If you missed it this year you're going to have to wait a couple more years for the next one that takes place in Sonora.

With all the people sometimes I just needed a break outside in the nice hot Sonora sun so I went in and out of the exposition part a few times during the day. One of the times I entered I noticed a display where school youngsters drew symbolic pictures of how they imagine mining and the environment working together. It was a contest in which I believe a few different Sonora primary schools took part in.

There was not too much interest in the display of children's artwork in the macho atmosphere of a mining convention so the display was quite lonely at one side of the entranceway - but I took a moment to look at the pictures that the Mexican children drew. As I perused the artwork one of the pictures actually gave me a little chuckle.

It was drawn by a little girl of 11 years named Silvan Miramontes Lopez who attends a state primary school in Hermosillo.

As you can see, the picture has two tunnels beside the tool shack leading into the mountain with rails and railcars and an awaiting truck to haul away the goods. One tunnel has the label "Oro" for gold and the other tunnel is labeled "plata" for silver.

If only it was just that simple.