Ecuador has tightened controls on exports of processed minerals to China
Ecuador has introduced mandatory sampling and technical inspections of processed minerals prior to their export to China. The new requirements, which cover gold and copper in particular, took effect immediately after the signing of a ministerial agreement on August 13, 2026, according to The Rio Times.
According to the publication, the document is numbered MAE-VM-2026-0001-AM and was signed by Deputy Minister of Mining Galo García Medina. The rules apply to processed mineral raw materials bound for China under any customs regime.
The mining regulator ARCOM must certify the quality and purity of each shipment based on analyses conducted by accredited laboratories. This data will determine the official value of the cargo. The customs service, SENAE, will not be able to authorize the loading or clearance of a shipment without an ARCOM certificate, so shipments may be detained at ports until the inspection is complete.
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Specific grounds for additional verification include situations where the seller and buyer are affiliated companies or where the buyer’s ultimate owner is a foreign government. If authorities detect signs of unfair competition, the case will be referred to the economic competition authority; tax and pricing disputes will be handled by the SRI tax service. ARCOM must publish detailed rules for sampling within 30 days.
According to the publication, in the first quarter of 2026, Ecuador exported gold at an average price of $3,060 per troy ounce, while the average global price was $4,876. At the same time, The Rio Times notes that the country primarily exports gold in the form of ore and concentrate, rather than refined metal, so the price difference is partly due to the form of the product and processing costs.
Ecuador’s mining exports to China in the first quarter of 2026 rose by 76.8% year-over-year. Overall, the country’s mining exports during this period reached $1.3814 billion, which is 65.3% more than a year earlier.
