A port in Peru used by Hudbay and other mining companies to ship out minerals for processing has reopened following weeks of protests by farmers and Indigenous groups.
The port of Matarani, used by four mines including Hudbay’s Constancia project, had been closed due to protests after a construction permit was issued for a controversial mine project. Construction permits for the project, owned by Southern Copper Corporation and operated under the name Tia Maria, were approved in July, allowing the company to begin mine construction on the site. Residents near the mine site, including a number of farmers, have voiced sharp opposition to the open-pit copper mine, saying the project would pollute vital groundwater in the region.
The construction permit was suspended by the Peruvian government August 9 and will remain suspended pending the result of a government evaluation, likely to finish before January 2020.
One day after the suspension, protesters ended a blockade on roads and a rail line leading to the Matarani port, allowing business to proceed as normal for the mining companies. An executive from MMG, one of the mining companies impacted by the closure, said all four mines that use the Matarani port had resumed exports as of August 10.
According to Reuters, some protests are continuing in the region, calling for a full annulment of the Tia Maria permit.
