LatinNews Daily - 10 July 2025

*The Ecuadorean mining lobby Cámara de Minería del Ecuador (CME) has filed a legal challenge in the constitutional court against a new tax on the holders of mining concessions, which came into force on 20 June. Proceeds from the tax, which President Daniel Noboa’s government says will raise around US$229m per year, will go towards monitoring and enforcement efforts to ensure that the mining sector is complying with regulations and environmental laws. The tax will apply to mineral concessions of all sizes, and the amount charged will vary depending on the size of the concession and the income of its holder. The CME yesterday issued a statement arguing that the tax is unconstitutional, will have a “disproportionate impact on the mineral exploration phase”, and could disincentivise mining investment. The statement cited Santiago Caviedes, an economist and representative of Ecuadorean consultancy Humboldt Management, as warning that “with this levy, Ecuador will become the most expensive country in the region for exploration”. The CME also cautioned that the tax could drive more small-scale miners into the informal sector.

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