The Era Dorada gold mining project in Guatemala, acquired by Canadian multinational Aura Minerals in January 2025, has been reactivated this year following the granting of a construction licence by the Guatemalan government. This reactivation has prompted renewed concerns among local residents and environmental activists.
Elda Dinora Ramírez, a resident of La Lima, less than a mile from the project, reports her well is drying up again and attributes it to the mine's operations. She also states her fruit trees are suffering from drought and livestock are experiencing respiratory illness, which she links to dust from the mine. Aura Minerals, however, states that construction and site preparation are underway, but industrial operations have not yet begun. The company also says measures are being taken to suppress dust and monitoring has shown no impact on air quality.
Aura Minerals has pledged to develop the project as an underground mine with a focus on sustainability, including plans for a water-purification plant and the use of 100% recycled water in a closed-loop system. The company also states that hydrogeological studies show no evidence of reduced water availability for local communities. However, activists, including Yony Barrera and Julio González, claim the project continues to operate under a criticised 2007 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) that they argue is inadequate, citing past rejections by experts and concerns over cyanide disposal.
Aura Minerals confirms its plan to use cyanide in the project, stating the mine is designed to manage it in line with relevant standards, with a closed-circuit system and a detoxification stage. The company maintains that the current underground project falls within the scope of the original EIA and its active environmental licence, which it describes as fully valid and adequate.