MMG facing civil action in Peru

26th July 2018 By: Esmarie Iannucci - Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor: Australasia

PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Base metals miner MMG is facing a legal battle in Peru, with the miner announcing a civil claim involving its Las Bambas subsidiary.

MMG on Thursday told shareholders that the Fuerabamba community had submitted a civil claim against Las Bambas, which owns the Las Bambas copper mine, seeking a court decision to nullify the agreement between members of the community and Las Bambas in relation to the transfer of land to the miner.

The community was also seeking to cancel the registration of Las Bamba’s property rights in the land transferred to the miner, and was seeking damages for losses suffered by the community worth around $450-million.

The Fuerabamba community lives in the town of Nueva Fuerabamba, near the Las Bambas mine, which was constructed for the community in consideration of their land being used for the mine, under an agreement struck in 2011.

MMG said on Thursday that the claim was unfounded and opportunistic, with the miner saying that it would vigorously contest the claim.