Metals Exploration plc has reached an agreement to acquire parcels of land mined by artisanal miners within the La India gold project area in Nicaragua.
ENVIRONMENT
The company began negotiations in January 2025 with the artisanal miners who were “occupying large portions of the mining area”.
“These artisanal miners were legally mining in the area under a co-operative (Cooperativa) that owned a small portion of land within the project’s mining area,” said Metals.
“Some of the artisanal miners were also mining outside of this area by encroaching into the proposed La India open-pit profile.”
Negotiations ended in April and the artisanal miners left the land during July, although talks continue on “other areas” occupied by artisanal miners.
Metals said it was working with the Nicaraguan Government for small-scale mining to continue alongside La India on the same licence area.
This would require new small-scale facilities and areas allocated for the artisanal miners.
Current small-scale gold bearing ore processing plants, which have “uncontrolled environmental emissions”, would be dismantled and removed to allow rehabilitation of the land.
Chief executive officer Darren Bowden added: “We are pleased to have reached a fair and constructive agreement with the Cooperativa and appreciate their full compliance with the agreed terms.
“Our continued collaboration with the Nicaraguan Government and local communities is aimed at establishing a sustainable framework where both artisanal and large-scale mining can operate side-by-side, delivering long-term benefits to all stakeholders while upholding the highest environmental and social standards.”