SolGold to invest US$3.2B in Cascabel under deal signed with Ecuador

Shares in Ecuador-focused SolGold (LSE: SOLG; TSX: SOLG) shot up more than 23% on Wednesday after the company committed to invest US$3.2 billion in its flagship Cascabel copper-gold project and activities related to it in coming years.

The deal is the largest mining investment in Ecuador’s history, according to the miner, and it is separate from an already committed US$311 million for the project, included in the current investment protection agreement (IPA) for Cascabel.

The complementary IPA, inked at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention in Toronto, highlights the scale and importance of the project, SolGold said in a statement.

“[This deal] not only reinforces the protections for our key investment in Ecuador but also symbolizes a deepening of our relationship with the Ecuadorian state,” CEO Scott Caldwell said.

SolGold released in February a new pre-feasibility study for Cascabel in which it managed to slash upfront costs. Pre-production capital used for initial mine development, the first process plant module and infrastructure is now estimated at US$1.5 billion, compared to US$2.7 billion from the prefeasibility issued in April 2022.

According to SolGold, the size of the entire resource indicates the mine’s potential to be a multi-generational mining asset, potentially one of the 20 largest copper-gold mines in South America. Mine construction is set to start in 2025.

Investors have been skeptical of SolGold management’s ability to deliver the project to its potential. The company’s share price has halved over the past year, while the miner has had to cut spending to stay afloat, prompting a strategic review of its assets.

SolGold’s shares were up 17.4% to 14¢ apiece in Toronto on Wednesday morning. Year-to-date, however, the stock is down more than 18%. The miner’s market capitalization is $404.8 million.