Operations at Southern Copper's Cuajone mine in Peru have been suspended for 15 days as locals continue to block the company's access to reservoirs and other critical supplies, the country's mining and energy industry body revealed.
Блокадата започна на 28 февруари, когато Southern Copper реши да замени 50-годишен водопровод, който доставя вода на близките общности.
Според Раул Джейкъб, главен изпълнителен директор на Southern Copper и настоящ президент на Перуанската асоциация на мини, петрол и енергетика (SNMPE), концесията на мината се заменя.
Джейкъб каза на местни медии, че разполага с документи, доказващи, че преместването е отнесено до лидери на общността и регионални и национални власти.
"We were taken aback by the blockade," Jacob said.
Работници в мината Куахоне, в която работят повече от 5,000 души, поискаха от правителството да посредничи в конфликта между компанията и местните жители с аргумента, че работата и животът им са изложени на риск.
"The residents' refusal to restore water supply to Cuajone and release the railway has prevented us from resuming operations at the mine," Southern Copper said in an emailed statement.
SNMPE said the protesters were demanding 5bn in compensation and a 5 per cent share of the company's profits.
Pablo O'Brien, a mining expert at Velocity Trade Capital, said it was more than that, describing the situation as "very serious".
"No one can just turn off the water supply to a group of people for whatever reason. This situation unfortunately demonstrates the current inability of states to mediate in resolving conflicts, "O 'Brien said.
Peru is the world's second-largest copper producer after neighboring Chile, and mining is a major source of tax revenue. Residents of nearby communities have increasingly protested against the mines, claiming they cause pollution without contributing enough to the local economy.
Southern Copper, част от Grupo Mexico, е една от медните компании с най-големи минерални запаси, а Cuajone е втората по големина мина в Перу.
The miner's copper production fell 4.3 per cent in 2021 and recently said it expected a further decline this year.
До 2022 г. Southern Copper очаква да произведе 922,000 тона метал, използван в строителството и електрическите автомобили.
"After this year, we believe our 2023 production will rebound to 1 million tonnes of copper," it said in its February earnings statement. By the end of the decade, as our organic growth projects mature, we expect copper production to reach 1.8 million tonnes.
China Southern разработва проекти на стойност 2,8 милиарда в Перу. Ако се включат зараждащите се проекти Мичикилай и Лос Чанкас, цифрата скача до почти 8 милиарда.
Protests have hit several of Peru's biggest mining companies since leftist President Pedro Castillo took office in July after winning an election with overwhelming support in the country's impoverished mining regions.
Roads used by MMG's Las Bambas copper mine to transport its metal have been intermittently blocked by residents demanding financial contributions from the company.
Last year protests also disrupted Antamina, the country's largest copper mine, which is jointly owned by BHP billiton (33.75 percent), Glencore (33.75 percent), Teck Resources (22.75 percent) and Mitsubishi (10 percent).
Мините на Glencore (LON: GLEN), Hudbady Minerals TSX, NYSE: HBM) и Hochschild Mining също бяха засегнати.
Social unrest in the country's mining areas has deepened global fears of a looming copper shortage.
Според оценките на CRU Group, медната индустрия трябва да похарчи повече от 100 милиарда, за да се справи с недостига от 4,7 милиона тона годишно до 2030 г.
