Miner Southern Copper said its Cuajone operation in Peru remains idled as it enters a seventh week of a standoff with Indigenous community protestors.
The company told Reuters just before Easter that, nationwide, the protesting communities are accusing operators of not providing enough jobs and money to impoverished locals.
Southern Copper has reportedly accused Peru’s government of failing to intervene to guarantee workers’ safety and that of their families.
The stoppage will remain in place, it said, despite a new deal to end the protesting. This agreement reportedly requires Southern Copper to withdraw complaints against protest leaders, who have been blocking its supplies and railway; Cuajone has been on pause since 28 February.
Peru’s Energy Ministry told Reuters it has reached a deal with Southern Copper as well to start talks with the goal of finding common ground.
“If we closed for a year, the government would stop receiving more than 3.1 billion soles ($830 million) in taxes and royalties, and 8,000 direct and indirect jobs would be lost. That’s what we want to avoid,” Southern Copper said.
The Andean nation is the second largest copper producer in the world.
Source: Reuters