The Cerro Blanco mining project in Jutiapa

Dossier: Sectors and investment opportunities08-sectores.md
Domain: Mining, and its regulatory risksectores/mineria
Room: Economy/economia
Audited: not audited

In June 2024 the Environment Ministry (MARN) annulled the approval of Cerro Blanco (gold, Asunción Mita, Jutiapa) for open-pit mining (El Observador GT). The project belonged to Bluestone Resources until 13 January 2025; Aura Minerals began a new phase of work against active community opposition — the 2022 municipal consultation voted against it — according to Prensa Comunitaria (February 2026). It is a case of regulatory annulment compounded by local opposition on the border with El Salvador; its current legal status is to be confirmed.

The research is written in English; quoted figures, source names and the titles of legal instruments stay in the language their source published them in.

Figures

MARN annulment (open pit)El Observador GT: June 20242024
Change of ownerPrensa Comunitaria: Bluestone Resources until 13 Jan 2025; then Aura Minerals2025
Municipal consultationPrensa Comunitaria: voted against2022

Caveat

legal status to be confirmed; secondary sources

Sources

El Observador GT — MARN anula licencia a Cerro Blanco para minería a cielo abiertoelobservadorgt.orgconsulted Aug 19, 2026
Prensa Comunitaria — Avanza polémico proyecto minero (antes Cerro Blanco) en la frontera con El Salvadorprensacomunitaria.orgconsulted Aug 19, 2026

Organizations named in the answer

Prensa ComunitariaTracks consultations with indigenous peoples over extractive projects (18 pending as at August 2026); the proposed source for the agua.conflictos indicatorOther

Directory of organizations

Related records

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