Ecuador

Ecometals receives environmental license for advanced exploration of Rio Zarza Project, Samora, Ecuador

Ecometals Limited (the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:EC)(BERLIN:GDQ)(FRANKFURT:GDQ) – The Company is pleased to announce that it has received the Environmental License from the Ministry of the Environment for advanced exploration for its Rio Zarza project in Zamora, Ecuador. The Environmental License encompasses the Rio Zarza and Valle del Inca I licenses and authorizes advanced exploration activities as per the Company's Environmental Impact Study which includes, but is not limited to, diamond drilling.

Ecometals gives Condor Gold buyers more time to come up with money. And not for the first time

Ecometals Limited announced after the market close on Friday that is has been forced to give Ecuador Capital Corporation more time to come up with a final payment of $1,750,000 for its Condor Gold Project in Ecuador.

Mining plans in Ecuador face indigenous backlash

Mediaworks reports hundreds of indigenous people in Ecuador opposed to planned mining projects are marching towards the country's capital of Quito.

Chile’s Codelco to expand to the rest of South America

It’s Ecuador and Colombia next for Chilean copper giant Codelco, as the company proceeds with plans to become more international by exploring mining opportunities in neighbouring countries.

Ecuador on the verge of closing second large-scale mining deal

Ecuador’s government and Canada’s Kinross Gold could sign an agreement in June to develop the long-delayed “Fruta del Norte” gold project, the country’s largest mine, reports local newspaper El Telégrafo.

Ecuador to sign $1.4 billion copper contract but Kinross gold project stalled

Chinese-owned mining company Ecuacorriente will sign a contract to invest $1.4 billion over five years for extracting copper in Ecuador's southern Amazon, reports local newspaper La Republica.

Ecuador, Kinross hit impasse over Fruta del Norte

Talks between the Ecuadorian government and Kinross Gold have stalled over the country's largest mine, Fruta del Norte.

Kinross down 19% after announcing Tasiast project setback

Kinross Gold (K.TO) erased 19.46% of its value, with shares dropping to $10.65 a share on Tuesday, after it disclosed that it will take ". . . a material non-cash accounting charge, primarily relating to the goodwill recorded for the Tasiast mine in connection with the 2010 Red Back acquisition."

Seeking to clear its name, Canadian family takes over gold mining company in Ecuador

The Calgary Herald is reporting that a Canadian family running an offshore organization under investigation by police has taken over a gold mining company in Ecuador.

Kinross reaches agreement in principle with Ecuadorian government on Fruta del Norte exploitation contract

Kinross Gold Corporation (TSX:K.TO – News)(NYSE: KGC – News) announced today it has reached a non-binding agreement in principle with the government of Ecuador regarding key fiscal and legal parameters for the exploitation of the Fruta del Norte (FDN) deposit in Ecuador's Zamora Chinchipe province.

Ecuador ready to ink mining deals; Kinross among companies likely to benefit

Ecuador is not a top-of-mind country when it comes to mining, but that could change as the government signals a shift in direction towards the minerals sector, the Globe and Mail is reporting. The Globe reports that the leftist government of Rafael Correa plans to invest $3 billion in the next two and a half years in order to reduce the country's dependence on oil exports.

Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc. :significant porphyry copper-gold mineralization discovered at Cascabel project in Ecuador

MOUNT PEARL, NEWFOUNDLAND–(Marketwire – Sept. 13, 2011) – Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc. ("Cornerstone") (TSX VENTURE:CGP) (FRANKFURT:GWN) (BERLIN:GWN) (PINK SHEETS:CTNXF) announced today the results of initial exploration work carried out on its 100%-owned Cascabel project in northern Ecuador. The project is located approximately 120 km north of Quito and 20 km south of the Colombian border. Access is very good via a paved road from the provincial capital city of Ibarra to San Lorenzo city, on the Pacific coast, and secondary gravel roads to the central part of the 50 km2 property. Maps showing the geology and exploration results of this program may be viewed at http://www.cornerstoneresources.com/s/Ecuador.asp?ReportID=478495.

International Minerals looking to sell Ecuadorian gold and silver assets

Though Chinese funding failed to materialize, International Minerals (TSX: IMZ) said it is in talks with an alternate suitor for its Rio Blanco gold-silver project and Gaby gold project in Ecuador, the silver miner reported. Last November International

IAMGOLD reports record first quarter net earnings operating cash flow up 177% year-over-year

IAMGOLD Corporation reported its unaudited consolidated financial and operating results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2011. Net earnings were $162.3 million ($0.41 per share), an increase of $102.1 million compared to the first quarter of 2010, and operating cash flow was $205.8 million ($0.55 per share1), representing an increase of 177% from the first quarter of 2010.

"Our strong first quarter results reflect our focused strategy to maximize the value of mines that we own and operate," said Steve Letwin, IAMGOLD's President and CEO. "Attributable gold production was up 41% year-over-year driven chiefly by the inclusion of Essakane along with higher recoveries at Rosebel. We continue to benefit from higher gold prices and are implementing various initiatives to reduce our cash costs."

Kinross Gold to invest $1.1bn in Fruta del Norte project to 2016

Canada's Kinross Gold (K.TO: Quote) will invest $1.1 billion in Ecuador's Fruta del Norte gold project until 2016 and could begin digging an underground mine next year, a company executive said on Wednesday.

Southern Copper postpones $1bn Tia Maria project

Southern Copper, one of the world's largest producers of the metal, has postponed its $1 billion Tia Maria mining project in Peru because of social conflicts, Chief Executive Oscar Gonzalez said on Tuesday.

The company (SCCO.N: Quote) will revise the project's viability later this month and consider alternative sites in Argentina and Ecuador in the meantime, Gonzalez told local television.

Ecuador expects $7bn in gold, copper projects in the next 7 years

Ecuador expects companies including Canada's Kinross Gold to invest $7 billion in gold and copper projects in the next seven years, as the OPEC member tries to diversify its economy by encouraging mining.

Natural Resources Minister Wilson Pastor said on Tuesday five projects will be signed in the next few months.

Mining Investment Is Up in Colombia

More favourable rules for mining investment and better security are leading to a mining and oil boom in Colombia, reports the Associated Press. Colombia received $7.2 billion in direct foreign investment with 80 percent of the funds going to petroleum …