In recent years, both A'i Cofan and Waorani communities have won lawsuits in local courts to suspend mining and oil exploitation in their territories.

Warintza South is the fourth major copper discovery within the 7 km x 5 km porphyry cluster on the Warintza property.

Wheaton will provide a total of $180.5 million under terms of a metals streaming deal, and Trafigura will provide $55 million under terms of an offtake financing agreement.

Blockades have totaled over 400 days on and off since 2016.

The weather-triggered stoppages affected production of about 1.5 million tonnes of iron ore.

An advance in consumption was offset by a drop in the country's key mining sector beset by environmental protests.

An appeals court ordered the suspension, which was requested by the regional governor of the Atacama region and local indigenous communities.