Open Pit Mine in PanamaThe results are starting to be felt from Ecuador’s controversial new mining law, which opened the country to large-scale metal mining. Codelco — Chile’s state copper company and the world’s largest copper miner — has been given permission to explore south-central Ecuador for copper deposits.

Background:

South American Mine Resistance (Jan 29, 2009)
“Responsible Mining is a Miserable Lie”
(Jan 12, 2009)