Antamina mine
{{Short description|Mine in Peru}}
{{use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox mine|name=Antamina mine|image=Antamina Mine Tailings Pond.jpg|caption=Tailings pond at the Antamina mine|state/province=Ancash|country=Peru|pushpin_map=Peru|coordinates={{coord|9.5372|S|77.0611|W|source:wikidata|display=title,inline}}|subdivision_type=Department|products=Copper, zinc, molybdenum|type=Open-pit{{Cite web |last=Teck Resources |author-link=Teck Resources |title=Antamina |url=https://www.teck.com/operations/peru/operations/antamina/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405151713/https://www.teck.com/operations/peru/operations/antamina/ |archive-date=5 April 2023 |access-date=6 May 2023 |website=Teck}}|opening year={{start date|2001|10|1}}{{Cite web |last=Antamina |title=Nuestra historia |url=https://www.antamina.com/quienes-somos/historia/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307233807/https://www.antamina.com/quienes-somos/historia/ |archive-date=7 March 2023 |access-date=6 May 2023 |website=Antamina |language=es}}|owner=Teck Resources (22.5%), BHP (33.75%), Glencore (33.75%), Mitsubishi Corporation (10%)|official website={{url|https://www.antamina.com/}}}}
The Antamina mine in the Andes Mountains of Peru is one of the largest copper/zinc mines in the world. It is an open pit mine which had an estimated life of mine at 15 years. It also produced molybdenum. The mine is jointly owned by Teck Resources, BHP, Glencore, and Mitsubishi Corporation and independently operated by Compañía Minera Antamina S.A.{{Cite web |last=BHP |author-link=BHP |title=Peru |url=https://www.bhp.com/what-we-do/global-locations/peru-antamina |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230315034305/https://www.bhp.com/what-we-do/global-locations/peru-antamina |archive-date=15 March 2023 |access-date=7 May 2023 |website=BHP}} It produced 390,800 tons of copper concentrate in 2006, 461,000 tons{{cite news |date=2 November 2014 |title=Antamina Copper Mine, Peru |publisher=Digiscend |url=https://digiscend.com/en/projects/peru/antamina-copper-mine/snapshot |accessdate=5 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141214104804/https://digiscend.com/en/projects/peru/antamina-copper-mine/snapshot |archive-date=14 December 2014}} in 2013. The total capital expenditure of the mine by 2013 was US$2.3 billion. İt is located at an altitude of 4,300 meters above sea level.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mining-technology.com/projects/antamina/|title=Antamina Copper-Zinc Mine}}
In 2014, unionized mine workers went on strike over pay and benefits.{{Cite news |last=Dube |first=Ryan |date=10 November 2014 |title=Peru’s Antamina Says Workers Begin Strike at Copper Mine |work=The Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/perus-antamina-says-workers-begin-strike-at-copper-mine-1415634407 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=6 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180909131209/https://www.wsj.com/articles/perus-antamina-says-workers-begin-strike-at-copper-mine-1415634407 |archive-date=9 September 2018}}{{Cite news |last=Dube |first=Ryan |date=15 December 2014 |title=Peru Workers’ Strike at Antamina Mine Has Ended |work=The Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/peru-workers-strike-at-antamina-mine-has-ended-1418655578 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=6 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180329044443/https://www.wsj.com/articles/peru-workers-strike-at-antamina-mine-has-ended-1418655578 |archive-date=29 March 2018}}
On April 22, 2025, a senior operations manager died in an accident in the mine.{{Cite news |title=Accidente en mina Antamina deja un fallecido y un herido: gerente sénior de Operaciones entre las víctimas |last=Naveas |first=Jonathan |date=2025-04-22 |url=https://www.redimin.cl/accidente-en-mina-antamina-deja-un-fallecido-y-un-herido-gerente-senior-de-operaciones-entre-las-victimas/ |access-date=2025-04-23 |work=REDIMIN |language=es}}
History
At the time of its development, the mine was Peru's largest investment project at $2.3 billion. Part of the country's dependence on mining, it was expected to raise exports by $900 million.{{cite book|last=Crabtree|first=John|title=Peru|year=2002|publisher=Oxfam Professional|isbn=978-0855984823|page=35|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_JoOSdXz9McC&dq=Antamina&pg=PA35}}
In 2010, the mine underwent an expansion program that increased its processing capacity by 31%.
{{As of|2023|03}}, the mine is expected to shut down in 2028. A $2 billion investment to extend the lifespan to 2036 is underway pending approval of an environmental impact study.{{Cite news |last=Aquino |first=Marco |date=29 March 2023 |title=EXCLUSIVE-Peru's Antamina mine life extension cost hiked to $2 bln, CEO says |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/peru-mining-exclusive/exclusive-perus-antamina-mine-life-extension-cost-hiked-to-2-billion-ceo-says-idUSKBN2VV1YR |url-status=live |access-date=6 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230506082422/https://www.reuters.com/article/peru-mining-exclusive/exclusive-perus-antamina-mine-life-extension-cost-hiked-to-2-billion-ceo-says-idUSKBN2VV1YR |archive-date=6 May 2023}}
Local relations
Many residents of land that is now the mine sold their property in the hopes that the mine would uplift the local economy, but there was little effect to jobs or infrastructure. Villagers living nearby complain that dust thrown up by the mine is toxic. Mine officials, along with President Ollanta Humala, denied that the mine was unsafe.{{Cite news |last=Bajak |first=Frank |date=7 June 2014 |title=Peru mining boom leaves highlanders behind |work=The Associated Press |url=https://apnews.com/article/67a64e137a044dd6b95c51ee0d7dc880 |url-status=live |access-date=6 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230506095638/https://apnews.com/article/67a64e137a044dd6b95c51ee0d7dc880 |archive-date=6 May 2023}}
In November 2021, the rural Aquia community blockaded the mine's operations. Protestors alleged that the mine had not fully paid the community for the land, which the company disputed.{{Cite news |last=Rochabrun |first=Marcelo |last2=Aquino |first2=Marco |date=2 November 2021 |title=Peru community to suspend Antamina protest that rattled markets |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/peru-mining-protests-rattle-markets-antamina-talks-loom-2021-11-02/ |url-status=live |access-date=6 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221206025650/https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/peru-mining-protests-rattle-markets-antamina-talks-loom-2021-11-02/ |archive-date=6 December 2022}}
The company launched an initiative, FOGEL, with the stated aim of strengthening the capacities of local governments and communities.{{Cite web |last=Antamina |title=Fortalecimiento de la gestión local |url=https://www.antamina.com/fortalecimiento-la-gestion-local/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230507060219/https://www.antamina.com/fortalecimiento-la-gestion-local/ |archive-date=7 May 2023 |access-date=7 May 2023 |website=Antamina |language=es}}
See also
References
External links
- [https://www.antamina.com/ Official website]
- {{cite journal|last=Gurmendi|first=Alfredo C.|title=The Mineral Industry of Peru|journal=U.S. Geological Survey 2006 Minerals Yearbook|date=August 2006|page=15.4|url=http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/country/2006/myb3-2006-pe.pdf|accessdate=20 October 2013}}
- {{cite web|title=Peru's Antamina to produce 450,000 tons of copper in 2013 -CEO|url=http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/perus-antamina-produce-450-000-200210761.html|publisher=Reuters|accessdate=20 October 2013|date=18 September 2013}}