I know you were thinking that Patagonia was mearely your favorite brand of thermal underwear... but read on

A CHILE RECEPTION
Canadian Mining Company Halts Project in Patagonia

Few places in the world are more synonymous with remote, rugged, and
untouched natural splendor than Patagonia, so it was with relief that
environmentalists learned that they had triumphed over a proposed
mining project in southernmost South America -- at least for the
moment. For more than a decade, the Canadian mining company Noranda
has sought to build an aluminum smelter and three hydroelectric
plants in the Aysen region of Chilean Patagonia, despite strong
opposition from enviros, salmon farmers, politicians, residents, and
even the president of Chile, Ricardo Lagos. Lagos' opposition was
especially significant, given that the $3 billion project would have
been the largest foreign investment ever in Chile. Still, enviros
say they can't rest on their laurels; the company has halted its
plans, not scrapped them, and is looking for another site for the
project, possibly elsewhere in Patagonia, which offers abundant
hydroelectric resources. Full Text At Planetark.org