Nicaragua Mining Concession Covering 8,700 Hectares in Nueva Segovia Is Extended
MINING · NICARAGUA
Key Facts
- —The country Nicaragua, Central America’s largest country by area. Gold has become one of its main exports, and mining titles are granted by the state through the Attorney General’s Office.
- —What happened On 30 September 2026 the official gazette La Gaceta published an extension of the 8,700-hectare San Albino-Murra metal mining concession in Nueva Segovia.
- —Who is involved Nicoz Resources S.A., which La Prensa identifies as a subsidiary of Canada’s Mako Mining. The title was issued by the mining directorate of the Attorney General’s Office (PGJ).
- —What it means for you For investors, a Canadian-owned operator keeps secure tenure past February 2027. For residents of Murra and El Jícaro, mining on their land continues for decades.
- —Still open Whether local communities were consulted, and whether any environmental review accompanied the extension. Neither outlet reported objections as of 1 October 2026.
A Nicaragua mining concession covering 8,700 hectares in the northern department of Nueva Segovia has been extended. The resolution appeared in La Gaceta, the official gazette, on Wednesday 30 September 2026.
The holder is Nicoz Resources S.A., which La Prensa describes as a subsidiary of the Canadian miner Mako Mining. The concession, known as San Albino-Murra, was due to expire on 3 February 2027.
What the resolution says
Both La Prensa and the exile outlet Artículo 66 cite title number 074-PGJ-DGM-2026. It was issued by the General Directorate of Mines, which sits inside the Attorney General’s Office (PGJ).
The land is split between two municipalities: 4,862.23 hectares in Murra and 3,837.77 hectares in El Jícaro. La Prensa reports the extension runs for 25 years from certification, after an application filed on 24 July 2026.
According to Artículo 66, the resolution finds the company has the technical and financial capacity to continue. It also states that Nicoz paid its taxes and holds the required environmental permits.
Fees, royalties and obligations
Artículo 66 reports a surface fee of US$12 per hectare a year and a 3 percent royalty on the value of what is extracted. On 8,700 hectares, the fee alone comes to about US$104,400 a year.
The company must also file monthly production reports and comply with labour and environmental rules. Neither outlet published production figures for the concession itself.
A long history of owners
The concession began on 4 February 2002, Artículo 66 reports. La Prensa traces earlier claims in the area to Delgrata Mining Corporation in 1994 and Chorti Holdings S.A. between 2003 and 2014.
The same company won a second title, called Eureka, in May 2026, according to La Prensa. That one covers 3,000 hectares in El Jícaro and Quilalí, also in Nueva Segovia.
Stability for investors, questions for residents
For a listed foreign miner, this Nicaragua mining concession extension removes a looming expiry date and secures tenure well beyond the next decade. The resolution also ties that tenure to monthly reporting, fees and permit compliance.
For residents, mining in Murra and El Jícaro now continues for decades. Nueva Segovia is also coffee country, where farms already face drought and costly fertiliser, as covered in Drought and Costly Fertilizer Threaten Nicaragua’s Next Coffee Crop.
The wider political setting is set out in Nicaragua Explained: The Ortega System, the Economy and What to Watch. Independent reporting from inside the country is limited, and both outlets cited here work largely from exile.
What Is Not Yet Known
Neither report mentions environmental objections or a public consultation for this extension. Earlier claims of local objections could not be independently confirmed as of 1 October 2026.
It is also unclear what output the San Albino-Murra area contributes to Mako Mining’s total. The company had not commented publicly on the extension by Thursday afternoon.
Sources: La Prensa (Nicaragua), “Filial canadiense recibe prórroga para explotación minera en Nueva Segovia”, 30 September 2026; Artículo 66, “Régimen prorroga concesión minera de 8,700 hectáreas en Nueva Segovia”, 30 September 2026; both citing La Gaceta, Diario Oficial, 30 September 2026.
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