dominic channer comments on fruta del norte and ecuador:

Q&A with Dominic Channer
VP Government Relations Kinross in Ecuador

What CSR projects does Kinross in Ecuador have, how do they operate, and what impact will FDN have on surrounding communities?

FDN is settled in Zamora Chinchipe, in the Amazon, one of the country's poorest provinces. There, our CSR team works closely with the government, supporting their social policy. And with the [Education] Ministry teachers, we are helping our workers to complete their education. We want to educate them for three or four years until we begin operating our modern mine. But it is the Ecuadorian government that provides the training, and we just support them. Our ambition as a company is to develop a mine with the best standards – just like Kinross’s mines in other countries — with tremendous environmental responsibility, super responsible wastewater management, and ambitious CSR projects supporting the government’s social agenda.

Last year when Kinross acquired Aurelian, many retail investors complained that the price was too low. They were waiting for activities to resume within weeks but nonetheless, after 18 months, operations remained suspended. Does Kinross, as a much larger company, tolerate more political uncertainty than a junior like Aurelian?

It’s not a matter of size, but commitment. And Kinross acquired a huge commitment when it bought Aurelian. Alongside Kinross, waiting with the same degree of anxiety, are other firms that rely on the resumption of their activities. All of us have invested capital, personnel, time, and CSR programs. And while this waiting is longer than expected, is part of the country's mining policy development.

http://www.ecuadorminingnews.com/news.php?id=123