On August 16 and 17, 2018 companies in the international mining industry will be gathering together in Managua, to take part in business conferences and discuss issues related to the sector.
The event is being organized by the Mining Chamber of Nicaragua and is expected to involve mining companies from all of the countries in Central America, and Canada, the United States, Colombia, Australia, England and Argentina.
The company Oceana Gold has paid the $8 million it owed because of the international arbitration case it lost against the Salvadoran state and has announced that it has no plans to continue mining activities in the country.
With the payment of $8 million plus interest, an end has been brought to the litigation that began years ago between Pacifi Rim, now Oceana Gold, and the Salvadoran state.
From July 26 to 28, companies from the sector will be gathering together in Tegucigalpa to take part in business roundtables and conferences on sustainable mining, water and climate change.
The III edition of the international congress will be held in Tegucigalpa.
In 2015 Honduras and Guatemala exported ores such as zinc, nickel and other precious metals worth $47 million and $46 million respectively.
Figuresfrom the Report on Import and Export of Ores, Slag and Ash in Central America,prepared by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData.com show that in 2015 the countries in the region exported 1,207,000 tons of ores, slag and ash, equivalent in value to $93.4 million.
From November 23 to 25 Latin American mining companies will be meeting in Panama City to explore business opportunities for the mining industry in Central America.
The Mining Chamber of Panama is organizing, in conjunction with the Latin American Mining Organization (Olami) a Second International Mining Congress, which will focus on challenges and opportunities for mining activities in Central America.
The Belgian company Nyrstar sold to Morumbi Resources 100% of the subsidiary American Pacific Honduras, owner of the El Mochito zinc mine.
From a press release by Morumbi Resources:
Toronto, Ontario, September 22, 2016 – Morumbi Resources Inc. (“Morumbi” or the “Company”) (TSX-V:MOC) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a share purchase agreement (the “Agreement”) with certain affiliates of Nyrstar NV (collectively "Nyrstar") to purchase 100% of Nyrstar's indirect subsidiary American Pacific Honduras SA de CV ("AMPAC") and its flagship asset, the producing El Mochito Zinc Mine (collectively "El Mochito") in Honduras (the “Transaction”).
Companies in the sector point to the favorable geological conditions for this activity in the country and advocate that the suspension of concessions which has been in effect since 2009 be lifted.
Companies engaged in exploration and mining activities support their argument citing the new ways in which the activity now takes place, differentiating the artisanal mining techniques which were used in the past from those used in modern mining.
A study on the importance of the mining sector in the country, carried out by the CABI, concludes that "the net profit for mining entrepreneurs is between 20% and 30% in normal times."
The analysis prepared by the Cabi said that the mining industry contributes 3.3% of GDP to the country directly and indirectly, a relatively small amount in the opinion of Paulo de Leon, at the Cabi, who believes that the sector has greater potential.
Less mining of metals such as silver, lead, zinc and iron oxide explains the 17% drop in mining activities in the first quarter, compared to the last quarter.
In the quarterly GDP report up to March 2016 the Central Bank states that"...The negative result in Mining and Quarrying (-17.0%) was associated with a decline in metal ore mining (silver, lead, zinc and iron oxide), which has been discouraged by low prices in the international market, which do not stimulate the development of projects aimed at exploring new mineral deposits. "
On August 16 and 17 industry representatives from around the globe will be taking part in business conferences and lectures on the role of mineral resources and the impact of the activity on the economy.
The II International Mining Congress is being organized by the Mining Chamber of Nicaragua and will be held on August 16 and 17 in Managua.
The companies that took part in the prequalification did not meet the minimum requirements for the project set by Coalianza for the construction and operation of an industrial mining park.
On November 12nd and 13th Panama City Latin American mining companies will be gathering together in Panama City to address the challenges and opportunities for the industry in Central America.
The Mining Chamber of Panama is organizing the event, in conjunction with the Latin American Mining Organization (Olami), called the First International Mining Congress, which will focus on the challenges and opportunities of mining activities in Central America.
The Hernández administration has agreed to reserve 18 zones with mining potential for exploration and exploitation in order to generate resources for the state.
Of the 950 sites that are being evaluated to determine whether they have potential for mineral extraction, 18 have been reserved for exploitation by the state.
Central America should take note that the Canadian government is moving away from environmental positions and promoting and defending the interests of its mining investment undertakings in other territories.
The Salvadoran government is attempting to gain support in Canada in its litigation against Oceana Gold, a company founded on Australian and Canadian capital which is trying to buy Pacific Rim, a company that sued El Salvador for $301 million because they were not granted permission to operate a gold mine in the north.
The Securities Commission of British Columbia in Canada, has issued a resolution barring the two top executives of Petaquilla from trading shares of the company until financial information is presented for the period ending July 2014.
Problems continue for Petaquilla Minerals, which breached a salary payment arrangement that should have been finalized in October and it has now been reported that two of its executives have been banned from buying or selling shares in the company.