Ecuador-focused SolGold has received a 25-year term renewal for the concession of the Cascabel copper-gold mine project in the north-western part of Ecuador near the Andean Copper Belt until 2048.

The term renewal of the Cascabel concession has been issued by the Northern Zonal Coordination of Ecuador’s Ministry of Energy and Mines.

SolGold said the renewal validates that the Cascabel project, which comprises 4,979 contiguous hectares, is a large-scale mining regime in accordance with Ecuador’s mining regulations.

In a press statement, the company said: “The mining concession renewal term is 25 years from the registration date of the Resolution in the Mining Registry under the Agency for the Regulation and Control of Energy and Non-Renewable Natural Resources and subsequent notification to the Northern Zonal Coordination of the Ministry of Energy and Mines.”

According to the pre-feasibility study, the project has an estimated initial capital expenditure of $2.7bn for the initial cave development, first process plant module and infrastructure.

SolGold CEO and SolGold Ecuador president Scott Caldwell said: “SolGold is making significant strides in the advancement of the Cascabel project. The 25-year term renewal should give all stakeholders confidence in the ability of current management to move forward with our plans for Cascabel and the company.”

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

With the potential to be a leading South American copper and gold mine, the Cascabel project is expected to annually produce 132,000 tonnes (t) of copper, 385,000oz of gold and one million ounces of silver, or 212,000t of copper-equivalent.

The clean copper-gold-silver concentrate from the project is due to be sold to Asian and European smelters as part of a project construction financing package.

The project is schedule to start production in mid-2029.