re: (already) mainly owned by the Russian entities
So it would seem that the upheavals that had everybody running scared investor-wise have pretty much all happened already...
Maybe not so bad then. Assuming they already have the lion's share, we might reasonably expect minority outside investors to be allowed some crumbs from the table. It's just that if those crumbs grow into bigger crumbs will they then be taken away from us? A good guess would be probably not at this point, right?
I suppose that this isn't any worse than the prospect of buying shares in Chinese companies which have majority government ownership. But in that case, it's stable. Actually they're even moving slowly the other way in some areas toward more privatization.
I've been in and out of another miner in Mongolia that has a lot of potential (IVN) but the problem in that the rules have been in flux due to political currents. First it looked like they would be happy with 30% then all of a sudden it jumped to 60%. Of course there, negotiations were/are still somewhat open to being finalized. Now, still hard to say.
Even with good old safe, trustworthy, Canada, government officials suddenly reneged on their taxation policy regarding energy trusts causing prices to plummet with resulting torment for investors, a great many who were retirees. Most politicians seem to turn into ignoramuses when it comes to economics and market forces.
Add in the exhileration of political power and the intoxication of self-rightousness and they can really go over the edge as with Chevez / Venezuala. Bolivia looking just about as bad. KRY had great potencial but so far I have no desire to touch it. Even CDE pps is subdued due to its Bolivian exposure.
I still have a small position in an otherwise nice gold junior with Equador exposure (ca:PLE). The Equador leader is nominally in Chevez's camp but he reportedly has an economic degree so still holding out some hope there.
Evidently, no investor environment is ideal, all we can really hope for is stability. Then go back to fretting about all the other plague of uncertainties that accompany junior miners. <g>
