ARIS MINING AND THE GOVERNMENT OF COLOMBIA REACH LONG-TERM AGREEMENT FOCUSED ON SECURITY AND SUSTAINABILITY TO END ICSID ARBITRATION
Rhea-AI Summary
Aris Mining (NYSE-A: ARMN) announced a Settlement and Termination Agreement with the Republic of Colombia on Nov 19, 2025 to end ICSID arbitration (ARB/18/23) inherited from GCM Mining.
The parties terminated the arbitration, agreed there will be no cash payment, and implemented three ten-year "Pillar Agreements" covering mining formalization in Marmato, collaboration with the National Police, and cooperation with the Ministry of Defense. The settlement includes engagement with the Attorney General's Office, CORPOCALDAS oversight and enforcement commitments, mutual performance obligations, and a Joint Representatives Committee to monitor implementation. Each party bears its own costs.
Positive
- ICSID arbitration terminated, removing legal uncertainty for ARMN
- Settlement requires no cash payment from Aris Mining
- Three ten-year Pillar Agreements create structured obligations and oversight
- Joint Representatives Committee established for implementation oversight
Negative
- Ten-year commitments may impose ongoing operational obligations on ARMN
News Market Reaction 2 Alerts
On the day this news was published, ARMN gained 1.03%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction. Our momentum scanner triggered 2 alerts that day, indicating moderate trading interest and price volatility. This price movement added approximately $24M to the company's valuation, bringing the market cap to $2.40B at that time.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
The arbitration was originally initiated in May 2018 by Gran Colombia Gold Corp. (renamed GCM Mining) before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), an institution of the World Bank Group, and included a request for a cash award for alleged damages. Following Aris Mining's formation through the merger of GCM Mining and Aris Gold in September 2022, Aris Mining continued the process but engaged with the Government of
Neil Woodyer, CEO of Aris Mining, commented: "We are very pleased to have resolved this complex matter through discussion and cooperation rather than arbitration. By electing not to continue the legacy cash claim from 2018, and with both parties agreeing to suspend the arbitration process to explore constructive solutions, this settlement reflects the success of a collaborative approach. Importantly, this is the first agreement of its kind in
Key elements of the settlement:
- The parties have terminated the ICSID arbitration and settled the claims submitted to this case.
- No cash payments were required or contemplated as part of the settlement reflecting an agreement structured on the exchange of performance obligations rather than financial consideration.
- The material terms of settlement are:
- the entry into three "Pillar Agreements" that include performance obligations on the part of each of Aris Mining, the
Republic of Colombia and relevant Colombian regulatory agencies in respect of formalization in the Marmato area, and collaborative initiatives with the National Police and Ministry of Defence; - engagement with the Attorney General's Office to support ongoing legal and enforcement processes that protect the Company's operations and workforce;
- cooperation commitments from CORPOCALDAS, the Caldas regional environmental authority for Marmato, to oversee compliance of formalized mining operations in the Cerro El Burro area with applicable mining regulations and permits, and to exercise its enforcement powers, including imposing fines, sanctions, and precautionary measures where necessary; and
- each party assuming responsibility for their own costs associated with the arbitration and its settlement.
- the entry into three "Pillar Agreements" that include performance obligations on the part of each of Aris Mining, the
- The "Pillar Agreements", jointly developed by Aris Mining, and the Government of
Colombia are:
1. Agreement for Mining Formalization and Sustainable Territorial Development in the Marmato area with the Ministry of Mines and Energy and the National Mining Agency.
2. Collaboration and Cooperation Agreement with the National Police.
3. Collaboration Agreement with the Ministry of Defense.
The Settlement Agreement and associated Pillar Agreements will remain in effect for a ten-year term and will be overseen by a Joint Representatives Committee comprising delegates from Aris Mining and ANDJE to ensure effective implementation.
About Aris Mining
Founded in September 2022, Aris Mining was established with a vision to build a leading
Aris Mining operates two underground gold mines in
In
Aris Mining also holds a
Additional information on Aris Mining can be found at www.aris-mining.com, www.sedarplus.ca, and on www.sec.gov.
Forward-Looking Information
This news release contains "forward-looking information" or forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding the resolution of the ICSID arbitration, the effect, timing and effect of the Settlement Agreement and corresponding Pillar Agreements, and statements included in the "About Aris Mining" section of this news release relating to the Segovia Operations, Marmato Complex, Soto Norte Project and Toroparu Project are forward-looking. Generally, the forward-looking information and forward looking statements can be identified by the use of forward looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "will continue" or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". The material factors or assumptions used to develop forward looking information or statements are disclosed throughout this news release.
Forward looking information and forward looking statements, while based on management's best estimates and assumptions, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Aris Mining to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or forward looking statements, including but not limited to those factors discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Aris Mining's annual information form dated March 12, 2025 which is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and included as part of the Company's Annual report on Form 40-F, filed with the SEC at www.sec.gov.
Although Aris Mining has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information and forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information or statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information or statements. The Company has and continues to disclose in its Management's Discussion and Analysis and other publicly filed documents, changes to material factors or assumptions underlying the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements and to the validity of the information, in the period the changes occur. The forward-looking statements and forward-looking information are made as of the date hereof and Aris Mining disclaims any obligation to update any such factors or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements or forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information.
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SOURCE Aris Mining Corporation