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The Government of Nicaragua has granted two new mining concessions to Chinese companies, reinforcing the presence of foreign capital in the country’s extractive sector. With these new contracts, there are now 21 mining projects involving Chinese participation active in Nicaragua.
The concessions, approved for a period of 25 years, cover over 196,000 hectares, primarily in the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region, an area rich in mineral resources. The companies Brother Metal S.A. and Thomas Metal S.A.have been authorized to carry out exploration and potentially extraction of both metallic and non-metallic minerals.
Since 2023, Nicaragua has awarded mining rights over approximately 2.78 million hectares, representing more than 20% of its national territory. A significant portion of these concessions overlaps with indigenous lands, raising concerns about the lack of prior consultation with local communities and the potential environmental and social consequences.
The Nicaraguan government has defended these investments as part of a broader strategy to attract foreign capital, strengthen the economy, and deepen ties with China, a relationship that has grown significantly since diplomatic relations were reestablished in 2021. Over the past two years, several Chinese companies have obtained licenses to operate in Nicaragua, rapidly expanding their footprint in the mining sector.
Analysts warn of the need for greater transparency in the concession process and for more robust environmental impact assessments. The rapid expansion of mining, particularly in regions with limited state presence, poses challenges for territorial governance and the protection of collective rights.
* Original text in Spanish. Translated by Large Language Model (LLM) technology.
Main Source:
China aumenta la explotación minera en Nicaragua, régimen aprueba nueva concesión – Diario Las Américas
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