FREDY SALAZAR
Fredy Salazar talks to TBY about Ecuador's geological potential and short-term plans.

BIOGRAPHY
Fredy Salazar is CEO of Salazar Resources.
Being located in the Andean mountains, Ecuador has great geological potential. As a result, many large projects are being discovered in Ecuador. The main challenges in Ecuador are social and environmental issues, which are the same as in the rest of the world. However, in Ecuador mining company still have to work to create a culture of responsibility that can be filtered down across society, focusing on the fact that responsible mining with international standards can work to the benefit of the country, the same way it works in neighboring countries. In this context, Salazar Resources started its own projects in Ecuador, financed largely by international investors through a listing on the Toronto Venture Exchange in 2007. We made a new deposit discovery at Curipamba, and continued exploration there for several years also starting joint venture agreements with foreign companies operating in Ecuador. Thus far, we have developed three projects, including the Curipamba project, a volcanogenic massive sulfide district located in central-west Ecuador in the Western Mountain range, where the company owns seven concessions of about 30,000ha. We also have other projects in the exploration stage in Ecuador, which offers the investors of Salazar the great opportunity to obtain a new development project. In the short term, we will focus on our main discovery, the El Domo deposit in the Curipamba project. We expect El Domo to start operating in three years' time. Over this time, we will carry out the feasibility studies and then start construction. Our technical team is based in Quito, though our shareholders are in London and Canada. Our main objective is to keep making discoveries in Ecuador, as we have a competitive advantage by being Ecuadorian and the geology is some of the most prospective geology in the world. We also have a subsidiary in Colombia, where Salazar Resources has applied for five mining concessions in department of Nariño, with a total of 25,000ha.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Interview
Felipe Ribadeneira Molestina, President of the Board of Directors, Ecuadorian Federation of Exporters (FEDEXPOR)
FEDEXPOR is directing the government to sign new trade agreements, reduce bureaucratic red tape, and implement a host of other measures to increase Ecuador's competitiveness in the global market.
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Walter Spurrier, President, Grupo Spurrier
For decades, Grupo Spurrier has been providing key data and insights to international companies interested in Ecuador. With mining activity picking up pace again, the company is set to play a bigger role in the country's economic development.
read articleInterview
Fernando L. Benalcázar, Vice Minister of Mines, Ministry of Energy and Non-renewable Natural Resources
TBY talks to Fernando L. Benalcázar, Vice Minister of Mines, Ministry of Energy and Non-renewable Natural Resources, on developments in the sector, expectations for 2020, and the potential of Ecuador's economy.
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Agustín Albán, Secretary, Higher Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation (SENESCYT)
Through a holistic education policy, SENESCYT is working on establishing international alliances, creating online learning programs, and increasing the amount of R&D activities in Ecuador's universities.
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Raúl Villacrés Vanegas, Executive Director, Ecuadorian Association of Banana Exporters (AEBE)
Representing 70% of Ecuador's banana exports, AEBE has worked hand in hand with the state to support the circulation of better agricultural, social, and environmental practices in the sector.
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