SAN JUAN’S GOLDEN AGE
For twenty odd years it sat as a depressing grey hulk. San Juan’s Casa de Gobierno was abandoned halfway through construction because of lack of funds and became an infamous white elephant. El Monumento de Cemento, as the locals called it, became a monument to the poverty of this province, the capital of which is located just two hours north of Mendoza. San Juan is huge, yet 80% is covered by mountains and only 2.4% is actually lived upon and cultivated. Yet something is up in this province famous for its Shiraz. The empty Casa de Gobierno has at last been completed into a state-of-the-art center of governance, new highways lead from the city and there is an overall atmosphere of increasing prosperity. You could think it’s because of its very decent wine but the reality is somewhat different. San Juan has thrown its weight behind mining, particularly gold. Two new mines are producing .75 million ounces a year and a third close to the Chilean border means San Juan will be the biggest mineral producer in the country.
For twenty odd years it sat as a depressing grey hulk. San Juan’s Casa de Gobierno was abandoned halfway through construction because of lack of funds and became an infamous white elephant. El Monumento de Cemento, as the locals called it, became a monument to the poverty of this province, the capital of which is located just two hours north of Mendoza. San Juan is huge, yet 80% is covered by mountains and only 2.4% is actually lived upon and cultivated. Yet something is up in this province famous for its Shiraz. The empty Casa de Gobierno has at last been completed into a state-of-the-art center of governance, new highways lead from the city and there is an overall atmosphere of increasing prosperity. You could think it’s because of its very decent wine but the reality is somewhat different. San Juan has thrown its weight behind mining, particularly gold. Two new mines are producing .75 million ounces a year and a third close to the Chilean border means San Juan will be the biggest mineral producer in the country.
