Mirador Mine – Condor Mountains
The Ecuadorian State, March 5, 2012 , through the Ministry of Non-Renewable Natural Resources ( ” Department of Resources”) signed in the city of Quito, the first contract mining large-scale enterprise Ecuacorriente SA (ECSA ), which enables the exploration and production of copper, principally through the open technique , in one of the mega-diverse and fragile ecosystems , such as the area of the Cordillera del Condor.
This mining project known as ” Mirador ” is located in the Cordillera del Condor, specifically in the province of Zamora Chinchipe , in the canton The Pangui , Tundayme parish .
The state signed the contract with the company Minera Farm Ecuacorriente SA ( ECSA) , which is the Ecuadorian subsidiary of the Canadian company Resouces In current for a period of 30 years and guaranteed renewal for the same additional term.
The contract gives the company an area of 2895 hectares , which corresponds to the area called ” Mirador 1″ to run mining operations. Besides ” Mirador 1″ , ECSA will conduct ” related ” in an area of 2815 hectares and an additional area of 510 acres called ” protection area ” . The contract, together with the environmental license , which authorize the ECSA Mirador Mining Project make a pit depth of 1.25 km , it is 10 times deeper than the height of Quito ‘s Basilica church.
The Mirador Mining Project refers specifically to the mining concession named ” Mirador 1 (cumulative )”, which is made up of the grant ” Mirador 1″ and ” Viewpoint 2 ” since Ecuacorriente SA since 2010 , has become the owner of a total of 11 mining concessions in the province of Zamora Chinchipe , covering more territory than the Mirador Mining Project.
Note that in the judgment of first instance, determined that the project area , as established by the Ministry of Environment in a ministerial agreement , was not protected zone , so it could not be anything fancy , as noted the constitution . Recently , however, the Comptroller conducted an audit project , establishing the contrary view : mining project areas are located in the Bosque Protector of the Cordillera del Condor.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEGprKBdI3k&feature=youtu.be
Presented by Nathaly Yépez, Ecuador
Read the case: Condor Mirador Mine Case
Espanol: Caso Condor Mirador
Judge’s ruling on mining case
Enrique Viale, Environmental Lawyer Mirador Mine Ruling
