Gina Rinehart’s mining subsidiary faces local resistance in Ecuador

Hanrine Ecuadorian Exploration and Mining, a subsidiary of Australian billionaire Gina Rinehart’s mining interests, is facing significant opposition from local communities in northern Ecuador.

In the township of La Merced de Buenos Aires, residents have engaged in prolonged protests to block access to gold and copper-rich exploration concessions. Villagers allege that the concessions were granted through a dubious process involving irregularities and a lack of proper consultation, potentially violating Ecuadorian law.

Conflict escalated in August 2021, when hundreds of heavily armed police and soldiers were deployed to clear protesters. Local leaders, including parish president Lucia Chicaiza, reported that security forces used tear gas and physical force against elderly women and farmers to allow Hanrine’s vehicles to access the sites.