Vale invests in Boston Metal, eyeing carbon-free steel

Southern Copper Corp's chief executive said on Wednesday it had reached a settlement with a company in Peru that blocked development of its $1.4 billion Tia Maria project with a legal injunction.

The council endorsed a plea introduced by mining workers against a ruling by the Cundinamarca Administrative Court.

Copper production fell to 153,800 tonnes from 171,900 tonnes, due mostly to lower grades at the company's Centinela and Los Pelambres mines.

Mina Justa, which is expected to require investment of around $1.6 billion, is due to begin construction in the second half of 2018.

The union accepted an offer to begin early negotiations with the Anglo-Australian miner in March to avoid another strike at the northern Chile mine.

The announcement is the last of a string of difficulties Anglo has faced with the iron ore mine, which was expected to produce 16 million tonnes this year, but that will now generate just 3 million tonnes.

Only in 2019, Lima expects to receive $2.9 billion in mining investments.

A group of researchers from Berlin’s Humboldt University published a study where they say that mining activities are the leading cause of social conflicts in Peru.

Along with Argentina and Chile, Bolivia is part of South America's so-called "lithium triangle."