The Cerro Verde mine, in Peru.
Protests against the ouster of President Pedro Castillo are starting to disrupt the movement of staff and supplies at Cerro Verde and other copper mines in Peru, the No. 2 supplier of the metal.
While on-site operations at mines have been unaffected by roadblocks and airport and rail shutdowns, off-site logistics have encountered some delays. Cerro Verde, near the southwestern city of Arequipa, is experiencing holdups in transport of people, supplies and product, owner Freeport-McMoRan said in an email late Monday.
While BHP Group and Glencore'S Antamina mine in north-central Peru is running smoothly, CEO Victor Gobitz said mines in other regions are encountering setbacks to the free movement of people and supplies.
Dozens of roads remain blocked in northern, eastern and southern regions. Whether logistical headaches for mines turn into potentially market-moving shipment or production constraints will depend on how long protests last and whether they intensify.
Raul Jacob, who heads mining and energy society, SNMPE, acknowledged the risk that the political unrest could inflame simmering community tensions in mining areas. But “right now we’re are not seeing that,” he said.