The Curipamba-El Domo project, in which 300 million dollars will be invested, receives an environmental permit after 27 months

After 27 months, the Ministry of the Environment, Water and Ecological Transition (Maate) has granted an environmental permit to the Ecuadorian mining company Curimining for the construction and operation of the Curipamba-El Domo mining project, located in the canton of Las Naves, in the province of Bolivar.

An investment of $300 million is expected for this phase, a benefit to the state of approximately $380 million in royalties and taxes, as well as the creation of more than 800 direct jobs and approximately 3,000 indirect jobs during the development phase. according to the statement.

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The process of obtaining the environmental permit began on November 4, 2021, with the presentation of the Environmental and Social Impact Study (EIA) and the Environmental Management Plan (PMA), which consists of 7,000 pages and is in compliance with the law. best international practices and includes physical, biotic, socioeconomic and cultural foundations, determining areas of impact, analysis of ecological risks and social and ecological impacts.

In addition, the plan includes prevention and mitigation, contingency, training, waste management, community relations, remediation of affected areas, wildlife rescue, environmental monitoring and mine closure.

According to the press release, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Ecological Transition issued the technical approval of EIA and PMA in May 2022.

The final phase of the process, which consisted of environmental consultations, was carried out by Maate between July and December 2023, in accordance with the provisions of the Regulations of the Ecological Organic Code amended by Presidential Decree 754 and according to the guidelines issued by the Constitutional Court, which include the principles of Escazú and other international standards related to community participation in development projects.

As stated in the press release, the consultation had the support of the communities in the area of ​​direct impact of the project, with 98 percent voting in favor of issuing the environmental permit.