Peru Sees Approval for Southern's Tia Maria Copper Mine Within 90 Days
2017年10月10日 - 11:04PM
Dow Jones News
By Ryan Dube
LIMA, Peru -- Peru expects to approve a key environmental permit
for the development of Southern Copper Corp.'s Tia Maria copper
mine project within the next 90 days, a top government official
said following a public meeting with local residents.
The development of Tia Maria will be an important signal to
investors that the government has made inroads in its strategy to
resolve social conflicts that have delayed several mining projects
in Peru over concerns by communities about their impact on the
environment.
On Thursday, Southern Copper held a public hearing for Tia Maria
in the town of Cocachacra, in Arequipa region, during which the
company presented the project's environmental impact study to local
residents. The hearing is an important step that mining companies
need to fulfill before the government can approve their
environmental permit.
Southern Copper said in a statement Friday that some 1,500
people participated in the meeting. Mines and Energy Minister Jorge
Merino said the company received its "social license" for Tia Maria
as a majority of participants in the meeting supported the
project.
"This was a big step forward," Mr. Merino said in a television
interview. "We hope that in 90 days the environmental impact study
will be approved."
Mr. Merino said that construction at Tia Maria could begin in
the second quarter of 2014.
Tia Maria was suspended in 2011 after violent protests prevented
the company from holding its public hearing. Opponents of the
project were worried that it would deplete the water supply for
local agriculture. Three people were killed during those protests,
and several others injured.
Southern Copper has since reworked its environmental study and
says that the new mine plan addresses community concerns. The
company now plans to pump in water from the Pacific Ocean.
However, some residents have continued to oppose the project. On
Thursday, hundreds of protesters clashed with riot police in
Cocachacra on the streets outside of the public hearing. Local
media reported that several people were injured. Protest leaders
were reported saying that they plan to take further action to
prevent Tia Maria's development.
The government and Southern Copper both said that opponents of
Tia Maria are a minority in community.
Tia Maria currently has a price tag of $1 billion, however
Southern Copper Chief Executive Oscar Gonzalez Rocha said in
September that the final capex could increase pending the approval
of its environmental permit.
Tia Maria could produce 120,000 tons of copper per year.
Southern Copper, a major global producer of copper, operates
mines and smelting and refining facilities in Mexico and Peru.
Grupo Mexico SAB has a controlling stake in Southern Copper.
Tia Maria was suspended in 2011 after violent protests prevented
the company from holding its public hearing. Opponents of the
project were worried that it would deplete the water supply for
local agriculture. Three people were killed during those protests,
and several others injured.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
October 10, 2017 09:49 ET (13:49 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2017 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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