BUENOS AIRES (miningweekly.com) – Production has resumed at the San Jose mine, in Argentina's Santa Cruz province, after workers called a truce with the company, although 11 people have been fired.

The San Jose gold/silver deposit belongs to Minera Santa Cruz, in which Hochschild Mining owns 51% and Minera Andes holds 49%.

Earlier this month, a group of workers at the mine downed tools in a protest, after which 63 people were fined and 25 were fired.

However, the Argentine Mining Workers Association (AOMA) stepped in and negotiated the reinstatement of 14 workers.

The remaining 11 were accused by their own work companions of having started the riot.

During the protests, vehicles were destroyed, and at least one injury was reported – a female employee had her hand broken, AOMA spokesperson Javier Castro told news agency OPI Santa Cruz.

The 11 fired employees subsequently blocked a major route, in further protest, which prompted a backlash from the local community and union members.

Earlier this year, the San Jose operation was the centre of a conflict between the miners' union and the local truck drivers' union, which was demanding that 20 drivers that transport materials from the San José, who are affiliated with the AOMA, should instead belong to the truckers' union.

For the time being, Minera Santa Cruz and AOMA appear to have resolved the conflict, and have reached an agreement with the 11 workers, who remain separated from the company.

However, the firm has cautioned that tensions could flare up again, resulting in further work stoppages.

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