Elected local officials threatened with jail for opposing mining

June 5, 2020

(MiningWatchCanada, Ottawa) The elected President and Vice President of a rural municipality in northwestern Ecuador have been threatened with criminal, administrative, and constitutional charges if they approve any measures to prohibit mining. The threat came in response to concerns expressed by the Decentralized Autonomous Government (GAD in Spanish) of “6 de Julio de Cuellaje” parish, … Read More

A new global analysis of the mining industry’s pandemic profiteering

June 4, 2020

Over 300 organizations express solidarity with communities and workers affected by reckless mining industry profiteering during the COVID-19 pandemic Over 300 organizations from around the world have signed onto an open-statement condemning the ways that the mining industry and numerous governments are taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to manufacture new mining opportunities and enhance … Read More

Mining operations at risk as thousands protest austerity measures

May 26, 2020

People in Ecuador have taken to the streets again this week despite heightened risks of coronavirus over wildly unpopular economic reforms were reintroduced on May 19. Moreno backed down on the measures in October last year after protests caused such unrest that the government had to flee from the capital Quito to Guayaquil. A number … Read More

Shuar people facing COVID-19 crisis due to mining company

May 3, 2020

Canadian mining company Solaris Resources has been criticised by multiple organisations for its irresponsible conduct in sending seven members of the Shuar communities of Warints and Yawi to the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) where they were exposed to COVID-19. Subsequently several members of their families have died, with many more sick. Indigenous … Read More

HPPL offer for Llurimagua

April 28, 2020

Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd. (HPPL) put in an offer in 2017 to buy ENAMI stake in the Llurimagua project in northern Ecuador, according to Via Minera. Full article here (in Spanish) with explosive commentary on situation at Llurimagua as well as information on issues with ENAMI/Codelco partnership, the collapse of copper, and interest from both … Read More

Australian company offer for controversial Llurimagua project

April 14, 2020

A major Australian company has reportedly put in a US$420 million offer for the controversial Codelco-ENAMI Llurimagua project in the Intag region of Ecuador according to mineral expert lawyer. Minerals expert lawyer Stevie Gamboa Valladares said in Prensa Minera on April 10: “Llurimagua is a mining project located near the Intag forest, an area of … Read More

Mining camps in Ecuador potential breeding ground for coronavirus

April 7, 2020

Despite mining companies saying they are suspending operations in Ecuador due to Covid-19, on the ground work continues to take place, angering at-risk local communities and indigenous groups. “The Rainforest Action Group is concerned that miners moving through the region are putting locals at risk. Four miners located at Rocafuerte, the operational base for Solgold’s … Read More

Cornerstone Resources illegally exploring at Rio Magdalena?

February 29, 2020

Cornerstone Capital Resources announces high potential Porphery targets at Espejo and Rio Magdalena, but fails to mention that Rio Magdalena is subject to a stop work order issued by the Provincial court in Imbabura in June 2019 due to the area’s high environmental significance. For the past eight months, local environmental groups have been denouncing … Read More

BHP’s divide and conquer

February 29, 2020

First published in The Ecologist By Liz Downes 21st February 2020 BHP is putting pressure on vulnerable ecosystems and communities in a mega-biodiverse region of Ecuador despite flaunting its commitment to environmental sustainability. The world’s biggest mining company is publicly committing to a clean, green transition: promising to shift from one of the world’s biggest … Read More