Strike Continues at Buenaventura’s Uchucchacua


For the first half of 2021, Uchucchacua (above) produces more than 2.5 million oz of silver.
Peru’s Compañia de Minas Buenaventura S.A.A. announced that a strike, initiated on September 13 by the local community surrounding its Uchucchacua operations, continues. Mining has been suspended as access to operations have been blocked. The strike results from the community’s claim that Buenaventura has violated agreements signed in 2012 and 2018. Buenaventura said it has complied with all related commitments and obligations. The company said it has made an effort to communicate this to the community with bimonthly meetings.

Buenaventura said it is currently working with community representatives to end the strike. Should a solution not be reached soon, the company said it expects a negative effect on third-quarter results. Buenaventura said it is prepared to revise its current mining plans to mitigate adverse impacts on its operations and recover any related shortfall over the balance of the year.

Located near Oyón (260 km north of Lima), the Uchucchacua complex, which consists of three underground operations (Socorro, Carmen and Huantajalla), produces silver, lead and zinc. For the first half of 2021, Uchucchacua produced more than 2.5 million ounces (oz) of silver, 14% less than the 2.9 million oz it produced in the first half of 2020.

Earlier this year, Buenaventura reported development delays and lower than expected grades from planned stopes at Uchucchacua. Production was also adversely affected by a reduced workforce due to continued COVID-19 related personnel restrictions.

As featured in Womp 2021 Vol 10 - www.womp-int.com