MMG Ltd said this Monday that the production in his Las Bambas copper mine in Peru it could stop on February 20 after a local community again blocked a road used by the miner, prompting the company to scale back operations.
The Chinese-owned mine has been a focus of protests and roadblocks since it began operations in 2016, with operations last suspended in December due to a similar blockade.
Although an agreement was reached in December to restart operations, leaders of a group of Peruvian communities later rejected a government proposal to prevent future blockades.
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The communities of Chumbivilcas (Cusco) – mostly indigenous citizens of Quechua descent – have repeatedly accused the Chinese company of not providing jobs and money to the region, one of the poorest in Peru, despite the great mineral wealth.
In the latest development, MMG said the local community had erected a new blockade some 100 kilometers from the copper mine.
“Due to transport restrictions both inbound and outbound, Las Bambas has been forced to progressively reduce mining operations”, the company said in a statement, adding that it was working with the government and the community to fulfill the December agreement.
The miner said production will stop around February 20 if the blockade is not lifted.
