Going forwards, though, the effects of higher production volumes – and especially of gold at Crystallex International Corporation’s Las Cristinas project – should be offset by softness in mineral prices. In world terms, Venezuela is a major player in the energy industry. However, it is relatively unimportant as a supplier of non-fuel minerals.

Does this writer know what he's talking about? If so, this is the first postiive piece I've seen about us in many a moon...