“Chinese companies in Nicaragua surpass 500,000 hectares in mining concessions”, 7 October 2025.

The dictatorship of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo has granted more than 500,000 hectares of Nicaraguan territory for mining exploitation by Chinese companies between October 2023 and October 2025...

The exact figure is 565,751.3 hectares, equivalent to around 5,657.51 square kilometres (km²). This total comfortably exceeds the entire surface area of several Nicaraguan departments. For example, Managua has an area of 3,465 km²; Chinandega covers around 4,822 km²; and Estelí occupies 2,230 km².

According to data compiled by CONFIDENCIAL, by 7 October 2025 the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship had granted more than 25 mining concessions to eight Chinese-owned companies. These companies, and the total areas under their control, are as follows:

• Thomas Metal S.A. holds concessions for approximately 189,669.98 hectares.
• Zhong Fu Development S.A. manages around 181,254.68 hectares.
• Brother Metal S.A. usufructs about 59,564.75 hectares.
• Waslala Mine S.A. administers approximately 49,950 hectares.
• Nicaragua XinXin Linze Minería Group S.A. possesses around 49,870.81 hectares.
• Three Gold Coins Company S.A. has been granted about 23,223.53 hectares.
• Linze Excelente Minería S.A. usufructs around 9,102.05 hectares.
• Northern Mining Company S.A. administers around 3,115.50 hectares.

The dissolved Fundación del Río has denounced these concessions as part of a systematic strategy by the Ortega regime to open the country’s natural resources to foreign —particularly Chinese— interests without transparency or consultation, even within territories located in protected areas...

CIEDH was only able to obtain public contact details for XinXin Linze Minería Group S.A.