Peru miners feeling community heat
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The Apumayo mining company in Ayacucho saw its installations put to the torch after being invaded by community members from the Chaviña, Cora Cora and Sancos areas as an anti-mining protest got out of hand, reported Gestion.
The SNMPE National Society of Mining, Oil and Energy, which represents the mining sector, said many protesters demand measures to restrict mining in the headwaters of a basin, ignoring that such areas are already protected by the water resources law.
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"We see an intolerable violation of the state of law that puts the lives of workers and the population at great risk, as well as as well as to public and private property," said executive director Pablo de la Flor.
Commenting on Twitter, Alex Black, president and CEO of Rio2, whose technical team is based in Peru and who previously successfully developed two mines in northern Peru for Rio Alto Mining, said "People in the sierra of Peru now feel empowered by the communist government to take matters into their own hands when they don't agree with mine owners."
Elsewhere in Peru, miners are also feeling the wrath of communities which are increasingly cutting off access with blockades, threatening to put a chokehold on some 40% of the countries copper production 2 million tonnes per year.
BHP and Glencore suspended operations at the Antamina mine in Ancash on Sunday.
Antamina, one of the largest copper mines in the country, has seen its access roads blocked. "We don't want to wait until something happens that puts at risk the physical integrity of anybody. ... We think it is necessary for the government and its authorities to act to re-establish order," the company said.
Glencore has also seen a blockade at its Antapaccay copper mine as has Hudbay Minerals at its Constancia operation. Blockades are also impacting MMG's Las Bambas mine, although the operation has suffered blockades pretty much since its operations commenced.
However, the protests are as much directed towards president Pedro Castillo as the miners, reminding him of his election promises to improve their lot should they vote for him.