‘They take the water, the springs dry up’: fear as Guatemalan goldmine plan is revived

AI Summary

The Era Dorada gold mining project in Asunción Mita, Guatemala, has been reactivated this year after years of dormancy, raising local fears over water shortages as villagers report drying wells. The Canadian company Aura Minerals acquired the project in January 2025 and recently received a construction license from the Guatemalan government.

After lying dormant for years, the Era Dorada project in Asunción Mita resumed this year and villagers say history is being repeated, despite promises of change In the community of La Lima in Guatemala, Elda Dinora Ramírez, 58, looks towards a small well at the back of her home. Dusty wooden planks lie across the opening, concealing the faint gleam of water far below. “The well is drying up again,” she says. Ramírez’s home lies less than a mile from Era Dorada – a goldmining project acquired by the Canadian multinational Aura Minerals in January 2025. After years of inactivity, the project was reactivated this year when the Guatemalan government granted Aura a construction licence. Continue reading...