Ecuador’s Ministry of Mining has unveiled plans to relaunch the National Mining Cadastre, a registry of mining concessions, for the first time since 2013, according to a report by Reuters.
The move is part of a broader strategy to attract investment to the country’s mining sector and clamp down on illegal operations.
The previous concession system was closed in 2018 amid concerns over irregularities. Since then, no new mining concessions have been granted.
Ecuador’s large-scale mining development has been slower than Andean neighbours such as Peru and Chile, despite its considerable mineral resources, partly due to resistance from indigenous communities and unfavourable court decisions.
In 2022, the country’s mining exports surpassed $3bn, mainly from copper, gold and silver.
Mining Minister Ines Manzano was quoted as saying during a press conference: “Mining needs regulation to secure investments and promote development that is responsible with the environment and with communities.”
The registry will be reopened in phases, starting with small-scale non-metallic mining, which includes materials such as limestone and clay, essential for cement and ceramics.
This phase will begin immediately, with mining concessions set to open in September. The full registry, including other mining types, is scheduled to open at the start of 2026.
Manzano highlighted the importance of the National Mining Cadastre in consolidating information on mining concessions with transparency and efficiency.
The reopening is aligned with new regulations regarding request permits for small-scale non-metallic mining.
“We have improved the regulations and will issue guidelines that enable the proper development of the mining value chain,” Manzano added.
President Daniel Noboa, committed to combatting drug trafficking and bolstering the economy, mandated the registry’s revival last October as part of a comprehensive mining decree.
This decree includes measures to curb the proliferation of illegal gold mining.
However, the Noboa administration’s proposal for new mining fees has met with resistance from the domestic mining chamber.
Addressing this, Government Spokesperson Carolina Jaramillo stated that the fees would be proportionate to the project’s size and type. She emphasised that an “open dialogue” with industry representatives is ongoing.
In October last year, Adventus Mining secured an investment agreement (IA) with the Government of Ecuador to develop the Condor mining project in the south-east of the country.
