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Welcome Urko & José – Strengthening ECTerra’s Mining & Exploration Team

Urko Onaindia 
José M. Piñeiro

We are excited to welcome two outstanding professionals—Urko Onaindia and José M. Piñeiro—as new associates in our mining team.

With over 30 years of combined international experience in mining project development, planning, feasibility studies, and operational optimization, Urko and José will significantly strengthen our capabilities in delivering high-quality solutions across the mining value chain.


Our Key Mining Engineering Services Now Include:

·  Mine Planning & Design
Strategic to short-term mine plans (OP/UG), LOM optimization, drill-&-blast and stope/block design.

·  Feasibility & Technical Studies
Scoping → Bankable FS, cost & cut-off grade analysis, method & equipment trade-offs.

·  Due Diligence & Advisory
Independent technical evaluations, resource/reserve audits, JORC/NI 43-101/PERC compliance.

·  Software & Training
Deswik implementation (OPS, Scheduler, Design), workflow mentoring and data-system setup.

·  Project Management
Multidisciplinary coordination, scheduling, budgeting and tender support.

·  Specialized Support
Ventilation, geotechnics, production scheduling, legacy data rehabilitation and safety procedures.


About Urko Onaindia

Urko is a seasoned Mining & Environmental Engineer with 15+ years of experience in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. His expertise spans mine design, haulage studies, feasibility work, and ventilation planning. He has worked with major companies like ERCOSPLAN, ICL, Südharz Kali, and SRK, and is currently supporting projects such as Zinnwald Lithium GmbH.

About José M. Piñeiro

José brings 17+ years of global experience in both underground and open-pit operations, from production to strategic planning. He has worked with Deswik, Glencore, Sandfire MATSA, and Palaris, with proven strengths in Deswikimplementation, mine scheduling, and technical due diligence for lenders and investors across multiple commodities.


Looking Ahead

With Urko and José on board, ECTerra now offers a complete suite of mining engineering services—from technical studies to hands-on planning support. We look forward to supporting our clients with deeper technical insight, agile execution, and integrated project delivery.

For collaboration opportunities or further information, please contact us at:

chris@ecterra.de