PANAMA CITY, PANAMA (Piero Stewart, Energy Analytics Institute, 5.Mar.2025) — The Colombian Ministry of Environment completed the public consultation process initiated in Nov. 2024 in respect to the resolution establishing a Temporary Reserve Area (TRA) in the Santurbán region of the Santander Department, where Aris Mining Corporation‘s Soto Norte project is located.
Effective 4 Mar. 2025, this resolution allows the ministry to evaluate water resources in the area and temporarily suspend the issuance of environmental licenses for 2 years, Aris announced 5 Mar. 2025 in an official statement.
However, this resolution does not affect Aris’ Segovia operations, the Marmato mine or the lower mine project, all of which are licensed and located outside the designated study area.
The Soto Norte project remains several years away from development and is planned to commence following the completion of the ongoing expansions of Aris’ Segovia and Marmato mines.
“Aris Mining has continued to advance environmental and technical studies of a smaller-scale version of the Soto Norte project, with completion expected by mid-2025. Once finalized and with significant local support for the project from the Soto Norte community, we look forward to engaging with the Ministry of Environment and its new leadership, as our redesigned project aligns with the resolution’s focus on environmental protection,” Aris CEO Neil Woodyer said in the statement.
“We are taking a new approach compared to previous permitting submissions, featuring scaled-down mining operations and processing facilities, a reduced environmental impact, and new processing options to support local small-scale miners. Building on our successful partnerships with small-scale miners at our other Colombian mine sites, the Soto Norte project offers a responsible solution to reduce existing harm from unauthorized mining activities in the Santurbán region,” Woodyer said.
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By Piero Stewart reporting from Panama City. © 2025 Energy Analytics Institute (EAI). All Rights Reserved.
