"Mining, water, and socio-environmental transformations in the Condor mountain range: Case study of the Mirador Mining Project, Ecuador" 10 July 2025

(...) 'The research results clearly illustrate the phenomenon of neo-extractivism, characterized by the expansion of the limits of capital towards previously peripheral regions and the excessive exploitation of non-renewable natural resources. They highlight how the perception of indigenous and mestizo peoples about the impacts of mining reflects a conflict between two antagonistic worldviews. On the one hand, the neoliberal vision of the mining company, which considers the territory as a sacrificial space for its megaprojects; and on the other, the vision of the Shuar peoples, who see the territory as a community of life. Under this vision, extractiv-ist policies are considered models of dispossession and inequality, often to the detriment of cultural practices and the sustainability of local communities and spaces of violence. The findings of this research reveal a pattern of concern about the environmental and sociocultural impacts associated with the mine, particularly in terms of management, quantity, and quality of water resources. Dynamics that occur in open pit mining megaprojects that have drastically transformed environmental and social conditions.' (...)

'In Tundayme (where Mirador project operates), the communities have perceived sig-nificant changes in water quality. The construction of mine infrastructure and production has implied an increase in the use of water concessions, both for mine production and for waste management, resulting in the contamination of water sources that could alter the hydrological systems that communities use. This situ-ation has led to intense competition for scarce water resources, affecting both the natural environment and the agricultural practices of the communities. Furthermore, the opinion of the communities in Tundayme about inadequate management and negative impacts on their territory highlights a broader struggle against a development model that prioritizes economic gains over ecological and social wellbeing, a criticism that they also recognize as central in modern eco-territorial conflicts.' (...)