In our continuing effort to research and analyze mining data, we have been busy this summer building up our modeling methodologies using the data visual method. In addition to analyzing mining companies and projects, data visualization can be helpful in analyzing individual factors such as jurisdictional and geopolitical risk. The following is an example of the possibilities available with this method of data analysis.
Every year the Fraser Institute surveys hundreds of executives and exploration managers in mining and mining consulting companies to assess how various risk factors effect their investment decisions throughout the world. This survey is made freely available and therefore often used as a tool to evaluate country risk. Noticing this year that the underlying data was available for download, we took the liberty of creating a user-friendly data visual tool using our data visualization tool Tableau. We hope that investors, brokers, analysts, hedge funds and other market participants will find this a more efficient and engaging screening tool than locating the risk factor of interest in the original 100+ page report.
Click to view interactive version
Everything should be pretty self-explanatory if you play around with the visual for a few minutes, but here are the basic filtering options:
- Select a region from the drop-down menu to zoom in at the country level. Note that the “state level” map will be blank for all regions besides North America, South America and Oceania because only certain state/provincial level data is collected by the Fraser Institute.
- Select a risk category from the drop-down menu.
- Select (left-click) a particular country or state/province. To revert back, just click a second time to clear the filter.
If you would like to zoom in on a particular area of the map, click and drag using the 
tool.
If the visual ever gets “stuck”, simply click on the 
icon to reset all filters.
We encourage readers to share this data visual. Perhaps in the future the Fraser Institute itself will decide to “augment” its report using this method.
Since you’ll probably be asking, yes it is still our intention in the near term to build various interactive comparative valuation models for exploration, development and production companies using Tableau. However, please understand that it’s a huge effort and besides the time involved reformatting and updating the existing database it will also require becoming proficient with the data software. As we create simpler visuals like the one shown above and our recent Timmins vs. Argonaut analysis, we are developing the necessary programming skills and learning the tricks to get the data singing and dancing how we like.
Dr Zurbo, splendid effort indeed! This body of work is material and meaningful for all mine investors….It deserve a front page link…
I did examine all the categories for Peru and was rather surprised by all of the green shading it received…
Perhaps it included all of the beach front properties…?
@Hans
Keep in mind the Fraser Institute is a survey of mining executives so you’ll have to find out from them about those beach front properties! Also there is a delay between the survey and publication and in the meantime conditions in a country could change as it indeed has a bit in Peru during the past year. Still Peru overall is arguably one of the better mining destinations in LatAm, which is not hard given the competition like Ecuador, Argentina, Venezuela, Bolivia, etc.
Silverax, the Shining Path and it’s reception committee are gleefully waiting for
all bourgeois capitalists…
Newmont Mining this week was duly punished by the Peruvian government..
Whether in the jungle or the capital, someone there is picking your pocket…
@Hans
Point taken Hans but………………….
Lots of mining friendly countries go thumbs down on projects as well. In this case, I believe the gov’t was caving to the wishes of the people just like the Can. gov’t caved to the wishes of the First Nations in B.C.. But keep in mind one of the best performing juniors of the last year was Rio Alto ( rio ) in Peru. Another one ,Sulliden ( sue ) has broken out nicely.
KLM, in Canada, you can leave the province; in Peru, you have to leave the country…
Lima, is controlled by the rural peasant stock, who have always felt cheated by
government and free commerce…
I am afraid this will never change; damaging it’s mining growth in the progress..
I do knowledge your point, with Australia coming to mind…Just introduce the Socialist model, anywhere, and you will damm mining and all other class of businesses..
Now BC is risky?
Apparently PVGs SP is hurting due to political risk in BC!?
http://www.stockhouse.com/bullboards/messagedetail.aspx?s=PvG&t=LIST&m=31622418&l=0&pd=1&r=0
“Q5: Do you and/or the other Casey folks have a point of view on the elections that will be held in BC in May 2013 and the potential impact on miners such as Pretium? I realize that we are a little away from the election, but it seems that the NDP party is moving ahead in the polls, and I’ve been told that they have not been friendly to miners in the past. There’s been some concerns and rumbling that it may be better to be on the sidelines and see what occurs in the election.
A5: Your information is correct; it is not good news that the NDP seems headed for victory in BC. They were indeed very bad news for mining, last time around. Things could be different this time, with the BC timber industry decimated and the global economy weakening, but one should never underestimate the power of human stupidity.
That said, we don’t think the NDP will ruin the place overnight, even if they do win and act as foolishly as last time. We should have plenty of warning as things go bad, if they do go bad. With great companies like Pretium delivering real value, we don’t want to bail out before it’s clear that there really is a problem.”
Read more at http://www.stockhouse.com/bullboards/messagedetail.aspx?s=PvG&t=LIST&m=31622418&l=0&pd=1&r=0#bmcic0g6X9WDyGVk.99
Rumour has it Sprott is selling over this issue. Guess they learned their lesson on EAS. Maybe not me though as I am thinking of adding. What do you guys think?
I mean this is probably the best gold development Opp period no? 40-50moz Hg and strip?
Also should mention the stock took a hit when they reduced their inferred resource from 10mm to 5.1 albeit with a higher cutoff grade while increasing indicated(?) to 5.1mm from 4.9
And the hits keep coming. Someone will likely buy this next year don’t you think?