Fourteen days after the total stoppage of its mills, the Chinese company MMG Ltd. resumed, in its entirety, its operations in the mining project of The Bambas, from the truce agreed in Cusco with the Chumbivilcas communities and the representatives of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers (PCM), on December 30.
The decision was announced by MMG, first, on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, where it is listed, and then through its social networks. Previously, a report from the Economic Operation Committee of the National Interconnected System (COES) had revealed a rebound in the electricity demand of the field in previous days.
“MMG Ltd. appreciates the commitment to dialogue of the representatives of the community and the Government to improve investment along the southern road corridor of Peru. The company maintains its intention to work closely with the Government of Peru and members of the community. to reach a lasting agreement “, reads the statement from the mining company.
Thus, MMG expects to resume this new year the project estimated at 400,000 tons per year of copper, which represents about 2% of the red metal worldwide. In this line, yesterday the shares of the mining company rose 2.00% on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to reach 2.55 Hong Kong dollars (US $ 0.33).
Truce for copper
The Minister of Justice, Aníbal Torres, stressed that the conflict was resolved “without killing peasants, as has always been done throughout our history.” This position was also supported, hours later, by the head of the Minem, Eduardo González Toro, who defined the route that the Government of President Pedro Castillo would follow to resolve social conflicts.
“I welcome the resumption of Las Bambas mining operations. We will continue to promote dialogue between the representatives of the communities and the companies, ”said González.
It should be remembered that, In 2021, copper broke all records and reached its highest international average price in history: US $ 4.2263 a pound.
Social component
For his part, the Deputy Minister of Mines, Jorge Chávez, said that mining projects, of any stratum, should land in a few years “a social component that makes it possible to make visible, with concrete works and actions, the benefits generated by the activity”, mainly , among the populations surrounding the operations.
“Conflicts must be resolved in a preventive manner and, for this, the particularity of each of the cases must be taken into account,” he submitted.
Two weeks to new appointment
The next meeting between the representatives of the Executive, the mining company MMG Las Bambas and the residents of the area of influence, including Chumbivilcas, will be held on January 18 and 19, exactly in two weeks.
The first table will be led by the Ministry of Transport and Communications and by the Ministry of Justice and DD. H H. The second by the Ministry of Energy and Mines and the Ministry of the Environment.
MMG offered to deliver the maintenance of the road section to the communities that live around the corridor, through a consortium made up of communal companies.
We hope for a permanent peace
Spotlight by: Rómulo Mucho, former Deputy Minister of Mines
The resumption of Las Bambas is very positive, it should never have stopped, it should not have been with blockages and the dialogue should have been permanent. We hope that this is the reason to establish a long-term territorial development plan, not just temporary. Long ago the State as a whole had to agree together with the participation of citizens, mining companies and also academia. We hope there are no more blockages. We welcome that the Government and the mining company have reached an agreement. May this peace be permanent.
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