COPPER GIANT COMPLETES PRIOR CONSULTATION AGREEMENT WITH INGA CONDAGUA, SECURING FULL SOCIAL LICENSE AT MOCOA
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Landmark agreement achieved during exploration — Copper Giant is the only known project in
Colombia to complete a full Prior Consultation (Consulta Previa) process at the exploration stage, resulting in a binding agreement (the "Agreement") establishing a new national benchmark for early, transparent, and lawful engagement. -
Direct dialogue and shared priorities — The Agreement was reached through direct negotiation between
Libero Cobre LTD. , Copper Giant's wholly-owned subsidiary, and the Inga Condagua Nation, honoring their constitutional right to self-representation and grounded in mutual respect, trust, and common goals. It is one of the few, or only known, projects to finalize a Prior Consultation process without intermediaries, consultants, or outside experts. -
Major de -risking milestone for Mocoa — Together with the previously signed Montclar Agreement (see news release datedNovember 29, 2022 ), the completion of Prior Consultation with the Inga Condagua establishes formal, legally binding partnerships with the two key communities nearest to Mocoa—securing long-term social certainty and a stable foundation for continued technical and operational progress. -
Aligned with
Colombia's Indigenous governance framework — This agreement sets a precedent 2024–2025 decrees recognizing Indigenous nations as environmental authorities, empowering the Inga Condagua to co-manage their ancestral territories while positioning Mocoa as a model for sustainable copper development critical to the global energy transition
"This agreement was built directly between the Inga Condagua community and Copper Giant — without intermediaries — because both sides wanted to speak for themselves and begin a long-term relationship," said Thyana Álvarez, VP of Corporate Development and Country Manager for the Company in
"With both Condagua and Montclar agreements now in place, the long-term foundations for Mocoa are set," said
Shared Outcomes and Commitments
The Agreement reflects a mutual vision between the Inga Condagua Nation and Copper Giant to protect cultural identity, strengthen local capacities, and ensure that development in Mocoa advances in balance with nature. Rather than isolated obligations, these initiatives expand on priorities already embedded in Copper Giant's social and environmental programs-reinforcing shared values of learning, stewardship, and long-term well-being.
Together, the parties agreed to implement, during 2026 and 2027, a series of initiatives that unite traditional knowledge with responsible project development:
- Education and identity: promote intercultural education so children and youth can learn in their own language and worldview - developing future local leaders who understand both traditional and technical knowledge.
- Autonomy and leadership: strengthen the Cabildo authorities and the Indigenous Guard with dignified spaces to guide and protect their community, with emphasis on inclusive, community-led self-governance.
- Ancestral knowledge and biodiversity: integrate traditional ecological wisdom into ongoing environmental programs, combining ancestral perspectives with scientific monitoring to enhance biodiversity management.
- Medicinal and spiritual heritage: maintain chagras of sacred and artisanal plants that preserve cultural memory and ancestral medicine, leaning on traditional knowledge to enhance the conservation of native species and local landscapes.
- Water and environment: collaboration on research to protect native, water-producing species - shared priorities that reinforce both the community's stewardship and Copper Giant's environmental baseline studies.
- Community unity and youth participation: develop inclusive spaces for recreation, peace, and social cohesion, particularly for young people - creating shared venues where culture, education, and opportunity intersect.
These commitments are a transformational framework built on respect, transparency, and shared purpose. They embody the principle of Buen Vivir - living well in harmony with nature and community - while advancing Mocoa as a model for collaborative, responsible development.
This framework aligns with
About the Consultation Process
The consultation followed a 2022 review by the
Early in pre-consultation, Condagua and Copper Giant agreed to conduct the dialogue directly, without intermediaries. Both parties chose to speak for themselves to establish a long-term relationship grounded in trust and shared responsibility for the land. The process for Copper Giant was led by Country Manager Thyana Álvarez, whose leadership in responsible mining engagement has been recognized by
The protocolized outcomes outline joint initiatives (2026–2027) that protect cultural identity, language, and nature while creating opportunities for future generations — establishing a durable framework to guide continued work at Mocoa.
Why It Matters - Early, Lawful Partnership That Clears the Path
The Agreement with the Inga Condagua Nation is authoritative because, under
This approach has practical force. As a recent example, in
The Agreement also complements Copper Giant's Monclar community agreement (see news release
This milestone builds on Copper Giant's growing national recognition. For the second consecutive year, the Company's Colombian subsidiary, Libero Cobre LTDA, was ranked among the Top 15 companies with the best reputation among government officials in the 2025 edition of Brújula Minera — the country's most influential annual study on mining-sector reputation, led by the
What makes this distinction exceptional is that every other company in the ranking is an active producer in
This independent validation reinforces Copper Giant's credibility and strengthens confidence in its ability to advance Mocoa as one of
About Copper Giant
The Company is led by a team with uncommon experience, having successfully taken some of the few major copper mines developed in the past two decades from discovery through to construction.
Copper Giant's current focus is the Mocoa copper-molybdenum deposit in southern Colombia, one of the largest undeveloped resources of its kind in the
Guided by the values of respect and responsibility, and grounded in its Good Neighbor philosophy, Copper Giant is committed to creating enduring values for all stakeholders and playing a meaningful role in the global energy transition.
Neither the
This news release includes forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding the successful implementation and the long-term outcome and effects of the Agreement with the Inga Condagua Nation, metallurgical results, the outcome of the Company's current resource expansion strategy; other activities and achievements of the Company, including but not limited to: the timing and success for the advancement of the
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