Santiago Yépez Dávila

COUNTRY MANAGER, LUCKY MINERALS

How has the Fortuna project evolved over the past two years?

Lucky Minerals is a 100% junior mining company. It is a company that discovers projects, and given the dynamics of the sector in Ecuador, we are perhaps the smallest exploration company. In Ecuador, there are large companies such as BHP, First Quantum, and Newcrest conducting explorations. Our expertise lies in going out to the field and discovering projects with our boots on the ground and with no large administrative and bureaucratic structure. After acquiring the Fortuna project, we have found extremely important and prospective targets that will lead us to start a drilling phase in the first semester of 2022. Ecuador, without a doubt, is a country with a privileged geology. It also has the appropriate infrastructure, which makes the development of projects less expensive. That has finally allowed us to start generating important news about a discovery about six months ago, an ambitious discovery in our mining concession Fortuna 3, and the target is called Wayka.

What changes has the mining sector seen with the Lasso administration?

It is a more open government, and not only in terms of the mining sector. It is more open to foreign investment. It wants to generate productivity. The mining sector initially had certain doubts and fears about Lasso during his presidential campaign, though these concerns were dispelled with Executive Decree 151. This decree has been one of the most important endorsements of the mining sector in recent years. The national government seeks to encourage the development of a thriving and transparent mining industry. The government wants large-scale mining that protects water sources and whose wealth reaches the communities. This will support the wealth of the state. The president has also requested that companies multiply investment. Given that Lucky Minerals is a young company, we have the advantage of agility and a lack of bureaucratic barriers. We are heavily committed to fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals.