https://www.miningweekly.com
Copper|Energy|Export|Health|Mining|Resources|Road|Roads|Products|Operations
Copper|Energy|Export|Health|Mining|Resources|Road|Roads|Products|Operations
copper|energy|export|health|mining|resources|road|roads|products|operations

Peru road blockades hit MMG's Las Bambas copper mine once again

27th July 2021

By: Reuters

  

Font size: - +

A four-day-long blockade in Peru by protesters seeking greater benefits from exploitation of natural resources is disrupting operations of MMG's Las Bambas copper mine, one of the country's largest, the energy and mines ministry said.

Residents of three communities in the Chumbivilcas province of the Andean region of Cusco, 1 100 km southeast of the capital Lima, began the blockade on July 23, the Ministry of Energy and Mines said in a statement on Monday.

The protesters were "putting the health and wellbeing of the public at risk", it added, by violating social distancing rules to fight the coronavirus pandemic that has hit Peru, the world's second-largest copper producer, particularly hard.

Las Bambas, which produces about 400 000 t/y of copper, declined to comment on the protest. Owner MMG is based in Australia.

Communities living around the mine often complain that they see few benefits from the wealth it generates and periodically block the roads that carry its products to the coast for export.

The last protest, at the end of 2020, ran for several weeks and forced the company to declare force majeure on some contracts.

Protesters hope for a definitive resolution to their demands from the incoming government of President Pedro Castillo, one supporter said.

"Most of us supported Castillo and this problem has to be heard and solved by the new government," Wilmer Fuentes, an official of the Front for the Defense of the Interests of Las Bambas protest group, told local radio RPP.

Castillo, a former teacher and union leader, has promised to raise taxes on the mining industry to finance its plans for greater investment in health and education.

Mining comprises 60% of exports from Peru, primarily for the Chinese market.

Edited by Reuters

Comments

Showroom

Weir Minerals Africa and Middle East
Weir Minerals Africa and Middle East

Weir Minerals Europe, Middle East and Africa is a global supplier of excellent minerals solutions, including pumps, valves, hydrocyclones,...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Goodwin Submersible Pumps Africa (Pty) Ltd
Goodwin Submersible Pumps Africa (Pty) Ltd

Goodwin Submersible Pumps Africa is sole distributors for Goodwin electrically driven, submersible, abrasion resistance slurry pumps.

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Hyphen, Eva mine, ferrochrome price make headlines
Hyphen, Eva mine, ferrochrome price make headlines
27th March 2024
Resources Watch
Resources Watch
27th March 2024

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.134 0.174s - 115pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now