"In Ecuador, landmark court cases challenge mining projects", 5 Nov 2018

Ecuador is facing a lawsuit...for giving mining companies exploration rights to a protected forest in one of the country’s most biodiverse regions without local consultation.  Brought by the local Cotacachi government, the lawsuit requests the regional court place an injunction on all mining activity...in the Intag Valley, a lush area of rivers and Andean tropical forest...The state has the right to extract minerals regardless of whose land they are located under...The constitution does, however, require the national government consult with communities...

Communities...where...the mining concessions are located were not consulted before an environmental license was granted to the companies, according to the legal action...National mining company ENAMI is developing the concessions in Los Cedros in partnership with Canadian mining firm Cornerstone Capital Resources...The lawsuit...says ENAMI is already damaging the protected forest...“The mining companies have more rights here than the protected forests,” said Josef DeCoux, who manages a research station within Los Cedros...

DeCoux said water contamination is just one of the reasons he is hoping judges will grant an injunction on the mining concessions in Los Cedros...