It’s standard practice for those interested in doing exploration in unfamiliar political jurisdictions to do some preliminary research into the area. Who owns the mineral resources? Who gives out prospecting licences and how much do they cost? What is the general tax regime? What are the local sources of information on specific exploration and mining questions?
Canadian governments are geared up to help answer those kinds of inquiries — it’s part of their responsibility to help develop the country’s mineral resources.
Not so, apparently, in the evolving “new” Russia.
The Central Scientific Research Institute for Geological Prospecting in Moscow is preparing a 20-30 page brochure designed to answer just those kinds of questions and has called upon the University of Toronto to help. In British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec or any other jurisdiction in this country, something like that would be handed out eagerly, free of charge. The Russian version is expected to sell for $500 each.
Either Russia is so broke it can’t afford even this most fundamental type of promotion or Russian bureaucrats have quickly grasped one of capitalism’s fundamental tenets — the law of supply and demand means charging what the market will bear.
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