Constitutional Court Dismisses Petition to Prohibit Mining in Azuay, Ecuador
BISHOPSGATE, LONDON / ACCESSWIRE / September 19, 2019 / SolGold (LSE:SOLG)(TSX: SOLG) advises that The Constitutional Court of Ecuador ("the Court") has ruled against a petition to seek local consultation to consider the prohibition of mining activities within the province of Azuay, Southern Ecuador. The province of Azuay contains SolGold's 100% owned Sharug project, a high priority project that SolGold believes has considerable potential for the discovery of a world class orebody with commensurate benefits for Ecuador and SolGold.
The Court unanimously dismissed the petition and concluded that referendums implying constitutional reforms are incompatible with the Ecuadorian constitution. In addition, the Court ruled that any referendum which may if successful, result in other nationally enjoyed constitutional rights being restricted, are inadmissible. The decision specifically addressed the rights granted to mining concessionaires.
In addition, the Court found that the petition was too broad, and misleading to potential voters as it did not give them adequate or accurate information in order to make an informed decision. It therefore did not comply with legal requirements for its admission, in addition to the substantial flaws outlined.
This decision, in conjuction with the previously rejected petition of a similar nature in the Imbabura province in Northern Ecuador, sets a strong precedent for any future petitions for consultation to consider changes to the constitution of Ecuador.
SolGold continues to work closely with all levels of the Ecuadorean government and with the local communities within which SolGold and its regional subsidiaries operate to create a sustainable and responsible mining indsutry in Ecuador.
By order of the Board
Karl Schlobohm
Company Secretary
Qualified Person:
Information in this report relating to the exploration results is based on data reviewed by Mr Jason Ward ((CP) B.Sc. Geol.), Exploration Manager Global of the Company. Mr Ward is a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, holds the designation FAusIMM (CP), and has in excess of 20 years' experience in mineral exploration and is a Qualified Person for the purposes of the relevant LSE and TSX Rules. Mr Ward consents to the inclusion of the information in the form and context in which it appears.
ABOUT SOLGOLD
SolGold is a leading exploration company focussed on the discovery and definition of world-class copper and gold deposits. In 2018 SolGold's management team was recognised by the "Mines and Money" Forum as an example of excellence in the industry, and continues to strive to deliver objectives efficiently and in the interests of shareholders. SolGold is the largest and most active concession holder in Ecuador and is aggressively exploring the length and breadth of this highly prospective and gold-rich section of the Andean Copper Belt.
