Azuay, Ecuador
EXPAUSA, a small mining organization based in Azuay, Ecuador, has obtained the Fairmined certification, the highest recognition of responsible mining practices, becoming the first organization in this country to accomplish this achievement. This certification means that now EXPAUSA will start exporting its gold with a certification that guarantees they meet the highest social, environmental, and ethical standards in the mining industry. About 328 workers and their families will benefit from the certification, which puts at the center the local development of the community.
National and international recognition
Receiving the Fairmined certification is a major milestone for EXPAUSA, as it becomes the first small-scale mining organization in Ecuador to receive this prestigious recognition. The certification acknowledges the company’s commitment to responsible mining practices and is a testament to its dedication to the highest standards of social, environmental, and ethical responsibility.
Andrés Ortega Mining Organizations Manager at the Alliance for Responsible Mining said “On behalf of the Alliance for Responsible Mining Team, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to Expausa for obtaining the Fairmined Certification. By adhering to the Fairmined standards, you are not only making a positive impact on the lives of those around you but are also setting an example for others in small-scale mining in Ecuador to follow. I encourage Expausa to keep pushing forward in its efforts to conquer international markets.”
the story behind
EXPAUSA was founded in 1991 by a group of students from the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), and since then it has been dedicated to the development and application of efficient and clean technologies. The company’s innovative gold extraction method, called pulp carbon leaching, was designed to process fine gold that could not be extracted by conventional methods. This solution made use of mining waste that was traditionally thrown away in the Camilo Ponce Enríquez sector, where small-scale mining has been a part of the community for generations.
EXPAUSA’s commitment to responsible mining practices extends beyond its innovative extraction methods.
The company has a strong focus on improving the lives of its workers and their families, with 300 families benefiting directly from the organization, and an additional 50 families benefiting indirectly through supplier relationships.
In addition, the company supports ”jancheras women”, who recover gold from discarded rocks, with eight women currently employed by the organization.
For more information about the Fairmined standard write us at: info@fairmined.org
To see Expausa’s profile click here
