Workers At Peru Iron Mine Shougang Start Strike - Union

LIMA, Mar 29, 2010 (Dow Jones Commodities News via Comtex) -- Workers at Peru's only iron producer, Shougang Hierro Peru SAA , went on strike Monday, while strikes at several other Peruvian mines continued, said Luis Castillo, general secretary of Peru's National Federation of Mining.

Iron production at Shougang, a unit of the China's Shougang Group, reached 4.4 million tons in 2009, according to Peru's mining ministry. The mine has been hit by a number of strikes in the last few years, including two in 2009.

Meanwhile a strike at Doe Run Peru's Cobriza copper mine entered its sixth day, and a strike at Compania de Minas Buenaventura SAA's (BVN) Orcopampa gold mine entered its second day, said Castillo.

Cobriza was Peru's sixth largest copper mine last year, producing 18,519 metric tons. The strike at Cobriza is the second this year.

Production at Buenaventura's Orcopampa gold mine, which was hit by a week long strike in February, reached 315,227 ounces of gold in 2009, according to company reports.

On Wednesday, a strike is expected at copper producer Sociedad Minera Cerro Verde, majority controlled by Freeport McMoRan Copper and Gold.

Peru is the world's No. 1 silver producer, and it is second in copper and sixth in gold.