San Miguel Ixtahuacan, a mountainous village in the heart of the Guatemalan Highlands has been desolated for over 450 years. Ever since the distant land's mineralized soil has barely provided enough for subsistence agriculture. The harsh geography around having them cut off from the rest of the underdeveloped nation. Famine, war and lack of education have isolated this region, leaving a mark in their inhabitant's back-stories. With no opportunities other than scarce agriculture and migration few ever imagined San Miguel Ixtahuacan would ever be the center of attention of the world in 2004. That year Mina Marlin, a Goldcorp operated gold mine, moved in to stay.