Ecuador Reopens Mine Registration System

According to a report by Mining Weekly, citing Reuters, Ecuador's Ministry of Mines announced on Monday that it had launched a new mining rights management system to attract more investment in mining projects and curb illegal mining, after the country's mining rights system had been inactive for seven years.

The old mining rights system was shut down in 2018 due to concerns about irregularities, and no new mining rights permits have been issued since then.

Ecuador's Minister of Mines, Ines Manzano, stated at a press conference, "Mining requires regulation to safeguard investment and promote environmentally and community-friendly development."

The ministry will open the mining rights system in phases, starting with small non-metallic mines, such as limestone for cement and clay for ceramics. The next phase will open to small metallic mines in September. Other types of miners will be allowed access by early 2026.

Manzano said that the National Mining Cadastre would integrate mining rights information transparently and efficiently. The reopening of the mining rights system coincides with the regulation of permitting processes for small non-metallic miners.

"We have refined the regulations and will issue normative documents to promote the healthy development of the mining industry," Manzano said.

President Daniel Noboa has pledged to combat drug trafficking gangs and boost economic development. He ordered the resumption of mining rights registration in October, as stipulated in the new mining law, and also called for action against illegal gold mining.

Ecuador primarily mines copper, gold, and silver, with mineral export values exceeding $3 billion last year. Despite its abundant mineral resources, the country lags behind other Andean nations like Peru and Chile in large-scale mining, mainly due to opposition from indigenous communities and unfavorable court rulings.

The Noboa administration has proposed a new mining law, which has faced strong opposition from the country's mining association.

On Monday, government spokesperson Carolina Jaramillo told reporters that the fees would depend on the scale and type of mining projects, and that "open dialogue" with industry representatives was ongoing.