Fenix Nickel Project
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Location | El Estor |
| Izabal Department | |
| Country | Guatemala |
| Coordinates | 15°31′34″N 89°23′23″W / 15.52611°N 89.38972°W |
| Production | |
| Products | Nickel |
The Fenix nickel project, also known as El Estor mine, is an integrated mountain-top nickel mine and processing facility near El Estor in the Izabal Department of eastern Guatemala. The project consists of a cluster of several deposits with reserves amounting to 36.1 million tonnes of ore grading 1.86% nickel. The project is owned by Solway Group through Guatemalan subsidiaries CGN (once called Eximbal) and Pronico.
The mine has contributed to over six decades of environmental conflict: initially implicated in violence during the Guatemalan civil war, and later becoming implicated in lawsuits and violence between 2009 and 2022. Local Mayan villagers say that the mine has polluted their water, damaged their crops, that they weren't properly consulted, and that they don't receive development benefits from the mine. The mining company and the government say that they follow all environmental laws, invest in local communities, and provide jobs.
A 2019 media investigation coordinated by French NGO Forbidden Stories found evidence in leaked documents that the mining company covered up pollution events, bribed community leaders to support the mine, and made payments to police and the military.
A protest in October 2021 resulted in a 30-day military enforced 'state of siege' in the area, raids on local homes and media outlets, and several arrests.