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Any miscalculation by the Peruvian government in the proposal to be discussed with mining communities on December 30 could reignite protest actions against MMG Ltd’s Las Bambas mine.
In recent statements to local media, the president of the Committee of Struggle for the Mining Corridor, Luis Huamaní, reported that the communities surrounding the ninth largest copper mine in the world expect an agreement to be reached between the Peruvian president, his prime minister and the ministers of transport and mining and energy.
According to Huamaní, such an agreement should be in line with the Constitution and be reasonable, otherwise, a new blockade will be launched against Las Bambas and, this time, 18 agricultural communities in the southern province of Chumbivilcas will take part.
Chumbivilcas residents have been blocking the road used by Las Bambas since November 19, 2021, to demand jobs and economic contributions to the company, which they say generally does not benefit residents despite its great wealth.
On December 22, activists agreed to lift the blockade until they meet with the country’s prime minister and company representatives later this month.
Before meeting with community representatives, the prime minister, ministers of energy and mining and transportation, and company executives will meet to refine a proposal that increases their chances of reaching an agreement with the people of Chumbivilcas.
MMG is a unit of state-owned China Minmetals. Currently, Las Bambas accounts for 2 percent of the world’s copper supply and has produced about 290,000 tons of copper concentrates this year through Dec. 18. The company had previously said in July that in 2021, the mine’s production was expected to be at the low end of its 310,00-330,000 tonne forecast.
Before closing on Dec. 16, on-site inventories were already at 60,770 tons of copper concentrate.
