What you describe in Ecuador (and this is true elsewhere too) is not really an environmental problem, but rather a people problem. It is always a human problem. We as a species are highly problematic and lot of our issues are human-made.
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Correct, that would be my argument. Oil/gas/copper and such aren't the problem, it's the way we (ab)use them, rely on them without any foresight nor long term thinking. That there's always greed in the way. More money to be made if maintenance is delayed. Cheaper to superficially clean the oil after a spill, and pay a symbolic fine.
The Intag Valley proposes eco-turism, agriculture of incredibly good coffee and other products, fascinating geology (I took a picture just for you), biodiversity and other things that provide intrinsic and deep value - but in a world of money, it's a more important to destroy a large part of it for a quick gain. Because the "responsible mining" might work in theory, but in a corrupt society, it does not. If it was to pay for education, an investment into the future so the generations after us won't have to destroy anything ever again - I'd understand the idea of sacrifice. But not like it is.