Solaris Signs Letter of Intent with Influential Indigenous Organization in Morona Santiago, Ecuador
04 March 2025 - 11:00PM
Solaris Resources Inc. (“Solaris” or the
“Company”) (TSX: SLS; NYSE: SLSR) is pleased to announce
the formation of an Inter-Institutional working group together with
the Pueblo Shuar Arutam organization (“PSHA”), our host communities
of Warints and Yawi and the Ecuadorian State. As part of this, the
PSHA and its Governing Council approved the signing of a LOI. As an
influential indigenous organisation operating in Morona Santiago
outside of our direct area of influence, this important step
forward highlights the fundamental progress the Company has made
through embracing an open dialogue and partnership rooted in trust,
understanding, and mutual respect, encompassed within the Warintza
participatory mining model.
On January 18, 2025, at the Yawi Shuar Center,
the PSHA resolved to form the working group and on February 5,
2025, ratified this process by the signing of the LOI with Solaris.
This further builds on the support we enjoy from our host Shuar
Centres of Warints and Yawi with whom the Company shares an Impacts
and Benefits Agreement (“IBA”), first signed in September 2020,
updated in March 2022 and then again in April 2024, as well as a
trilateral cooperation agreement with the Interprovincial
Federation of Shuar Centers (“FICSH”), the highest authority and
largest Shuar indigenous organization in Ecuador and with the
Alliance for Entrepreneurship and Innovation of Ecuador (“AEI”) of
Ecuador.
Further, the Company is pleased to announce the
conclusion of its infill drilling programme, encompassing over
75,000m in 2024 and a further 5,000m in early 2025, which will form
the basis for the updated Mineral Resource Estimate (“MRE”),
expected mid-2025. The primary focus of the programme was to
convert Inferred mineral resources to Measured and Indicated; and
expand the remaining uncategorized areas within the pit shell that
will support the PFS expected in Q3 2025.
Matthew Rowlinson, President and CEO commented,
“At Solaris Resources, we believe that sustainable mining is not
just an economic endeavour; it is a journey that must include the
insights and values of every stakeholder involved, especially our
indigenous populations. Their lived experiences and deep connection
to the land are vital to shaping responsible mining practices that
respect both our natural environment and cultural heritage. As we
move forward, its vital we embrace an open dialogue and partnership
rooted in trust, understanding, and mutual respect. Together, we
continue to create a model for mining that not only drives economic
growth but also uplifts our communities and preserves the rich
tapestry of the Ecuadorian culture.
“Thanks to the Pueblo Shuar Arutam organization
and all other stakeholders for their trust and support as we look
to sustainably deliver this Tier 1 asset. This project is for
Ecuador, by Ecuador, and for the benefit of all stakeholders today
and the generations to come.”
About the Pueblo Shuar Arutam
organization, the Inter-Institutional working group and wider
community support
The Pueblo Shuar Arutam
organization (“PSHA”), located in the southeast of the
province Morona Santiago, is made up of nearly ten thousand people
organized into 47 Shuar centers. The objective of the
Inter-Institutional working group and its subsequent ratification
through the signing of the LOI is to develop transparent dialogue
processes and workshops in order to promote the signing of a future
Cooperation Agreement, under the consent of the communities.
As discussed above, the Warintza Project enjoys
the support of its local Shuar Centres of Warints and Yawi with
whom the Company shares an Impacts and Benefits Agreement (“IBA”),
first signed in September 2020, renewed in March 2022 and again
renewed in April 2024. The IBA provides certainty of community
support for the responsible advancement of the Warintza Project
from exploration and development through to production and is a
major milestone in the Company’s innovative corporate social
responsibility (“CSR”) program. This was the first IBA established
in Ecuador and set the precedent for industry best practice for
inclusive and mutually beneficial resource development in
partnership with Indigenous Peoples. The IBA formalizes commitments
toward supporting partner communities in their social and cultural
practices. It also provides for eliminating or mitigating adverse
impacts, employment, contracting and business opportunities
supported by a robust program of education, skills and training
together with community infrastructure development and financial
benefits to maximize community participation and positive outcomes
for Indigenous Peoples. In March 2024, Solaris announced a
trilateral cooperation agreement with FICSH, the highest authority
and largest Shuar indigenous organization legally established by
statute of the Ministry of Social Welfare of Ecuador in 1964 and
includes 50 associations comprising 500 Shuar communities and
approximately 143,000 Shuar indigenous people, and with the AEI of
Ecuador. The agreement aims to promote the economic and social
development of Shuar communities represented by FICSH, including
PSHA and the communities of Warints and Yawi, with programs in
health, education, skills training, entrepreneurship, innovation
and sustainable mineral resource development.
On behalf of the Board of Solaris
Resources Inc.
“Matthew Rowlinson”President & CEO, Director
For Further Information
Patrick Chambers, VP Investor RelationsEmail:
pchambers@solarisresources.com
About Solaris Resources
Inc.
Solaris is a copper-gold exploration and
development company, committed to a sustainable future by
empowering communities and stakeholders through our dedication to
participatory and responsible mining. The Warintza Project, a large
copper-gold porphyry deposit, with a disclosed resource endowment
of over 2.3Bn tonnes is a unique, global scale and
multigenerational asset with low capital intensity located in
southeast Ecuador. The Company also owns a series of grassroot
exploration projects with discovery potential in Peru and Chile and
a 60% interest in the La Verde joint-venture project with a
subsidiary of Teck Resources in Mexico.
Cautionary Notes and Forward-looking
Statements
This document contains certain forward-looking
information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of
applicable securities legislation (collectively “forward-looking
statements”). The use of the words “will” and “expected” and
similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking
statements. These statements include statements regarding the
Company’s future growth or value, and expectations regarding the
performance and focus of the new management team and Board of
Directors; the terms of the private placement; the ability of the
Company to satisfy regulatory, stock exchange and commercial
closing conditions of the private placement; and the timing,
benefits, structure and completion of the proposed emigration.
Although Solaris believes that the expectations reflected in such
forward-looking statements and/or information are reasonable,
readers are cautioned that actual results may vary from the
forward-looking statements. The Company has based these
forward-looking statements and information on the Company’s current
expectations and assumptions about future events including
assumptions regarding the exploration and regional programs. These
statements also involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and
other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ
materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking
statements, including the risks, uncertainties and other factors
identified in the Solaris Management’s Discussion and Analysis, for
the year ended December 31, 2023 available at www.sedarplus.ca.
Furthermore, the forward-looking statements contained in this news
release are made as at the date of this news release and Solaris
does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any
of these forward-looking statements except as may be required by
applicable securities laws.
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