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MMG Ltd’s Las Bambas copper mines halted activities because of unrest at another nearby mining site, according to TVPeru Noticias, citing a union leader.
The decision to stop work at the mine on Friday was made by the company to keep workers safe from violence as roads were blocked and protests continue over last month’s ouster of leftist President Pedro Castillo, said Erick Ramos Luna, union leader at the MMG’s Las Bambas mines.
A representative for MMG declined to comment.
Mining activities in Peru, the world’s second-largest copper producer, have been affected by shortages of materials because of unrest at the mine of Antapaccay, run by Glencore. A local leader had threatened to take over the Las Bambas mine, prompting security measures, Ramos added.
“It’s highly likely that overall activities will be halted by next week,” he said.
Las Bambas had halted copper concentrate transportation this week amid broader protests in the Andean regions around the huge Chinese-owned mine.
Glencore’s Antapaccay, which is located along the same route used by Las Bambas to transport copper, was attacked on Tuesday and two cars were burned, the company said in a press release.
At least 40 people have died in political turmoil after the ouster and arrest of Castillo in December.
(By Fabiola Zerpa, with assistance from Marcelo Rochabrun)
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