Fierroinca Project

The Ecuadorian black sands iron ore deposits of economic interest are concentrated in the provinces of Esmeraldas and Manabí. They include principally the Quaternary and recent deposits of the La Tola, Rio Verde and Mompiche sectors in the province of Esmeraldas, and Cojimies in the province of Manabí. The focus is on two prospective areas:

  • The Northern Area, a sand-rich coastal plain
  • The Southern Area characterized by barrier and strand-plain complexes.

Erosion and transport of sediment from the mountainous interior provides a mix of economically important mineral species to the coast, primarily iron and titanium, but with high-value trace minerals locally.

Iron sands were deposited along the advancing shoreline as the sea rose from its last glacial lowstand. These deposits are augmented by deposition of sand eroded from the modern beach during storms. In this dynamic marine environment, any extraction of the sea floor would be followed by natural replenishment of sand by shelf currents.

The initial focus is on Cojimíes in the Southern Area, but work continues in the other concessions.

fierroinca project map

The Fierroinca Project comprises:

  • Northern Area - La Tola and Rio Verde; and
  • Southern Area – Mompiche and Cojimíes.

Relative positioning to Esmeraldas Port:

  • La Tola – 82 km
  • Rio Verde – 25 km
  • Cojimíes – 106 km
  • Mompiche – 91 km.

The company has been granted 4 ha in the Zona Franca at Esmeraldas Port, shown in the maps that follow:

Northern Area Leases

Northern Area

Southern Area Leases

Southern Area

Esmeraldas, sub sea resource

Esmeraldas resource

Closeup of Esmeralds Port

Esmeraldas PortEsmeraldas Port outline

The Company has recently filed another exploration claim, Las Palmas, in the Northern Area. In addition to its on-shore concessions, SAIS’s controlled entity has been granted the right to undertake off-shore geological research over the Convenio areas (subject to terms of reference with Admiralty).