Challhuahuacho kicked off new round of strike against Peru’s Las Bambas copper mine

SHANGHAI, Jan 30 (SMM) – On Monday January 20, residents of Challhuahuacho in Peru conducted a 48-hour strike, in protest against MMG Limited who operates Las Bambas copper mine, violating its commitments in their agreements.

According to reports by the Peruvian media, the strike was aimed to call for reconsideration of the government and mining company, and prompt them to fulfill their commitments. Jacinto Lima Lucas, president of federation of indigenous communities said that Challhuahuacho is a town of “extreme poverty”, with most residents living below the poverty line. "The government has promised to establish 33 projects, but nothing has materialised. We have called for a strike to the State and the mining company to decide on their commitments made since 2012.”

Lucas cited a commitment by the ministry of agriculture to build five dams. The Peruvian government has promised to invest 7 million soles (around $2.09 million) to study the technology archive, which should have been done by 2017. He also said that the Las Bambas mining company was not in conformity with its work, social responsibility and commitment in the Challhuacho.

Lucas also warned that an indefinite strike would commence from January 27 if no response was heard. The potential strike is likely to disrupt copper concentrate shipments or supply from Las Bambas mine, which will weigh on treatment charges for spot copper concentrate trades. 

Background

The Las Bambas copper mine faced several rounds of community protests in 2019. On February 4, the Outsidebamba community blocked a 12-km national road that crosses through the Yavi Yavi farm in Cuzco and leads to the port of Matarani. Subsequently, the Chumbivilcas community in Cuzco banned vehicles from passing through the mining corridor on September 22 and demanded the repeal of the MTC supreme decree, which made the transportation corridor a national highway. Trucks of MMG Las Bambas mining company were unable to drive on the road due to the blockage. According to MMG, it is currently working on the construction of a mini-pipeline so that it can transport copper concentrate from Apurimac to the port of Matarani in Arequipa.