Compañia de Minas Buenaventura, Peru’s
largest publicly traded precious metals
mining company, reported that its Uchucchacua
mine has resumed operations. A
task force, “mesa de trabajo,” was established
on November 3 by the Office of Social
Affairs of the Ministry of Energy and
Mines with the participation of other public
offices, including representatives from
the Prime Minister’s office, to end the
conflict and resume negotiations with the
Oyon community. It removed the roadblock,
which was preventing Buenaventura’s
team from entering the Uchucchacua
mine site. Normal operations at Uchucchacua
resumed on November 4.
The Oyon community allegedly adopted
a more aggressive negotiating position
related to Buenaventura’s use of lands by
its Uchucchacua mine. This act, according
to Buenaventura, did not acknowledge
an agreement previously established
between the Oyon community and
Buenaventura, which was signed in the
1970s. Threats by community leaders resulted
in a work stoppage in Uchucchacua’s
production, which began on October
31, the date on which the plant’s scheduled
planned preventive maintenance
had concluded.
As featured in Womp 2017 Vol 12 - www.womp-int.com