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A strike planned to start on Monday at Southern Copper's Peruvian mine Cuajone has been temporarily suspended pending mediation, officials from the company and union said. Southern, one of the world's largest copper producers, has been hit by strikes this year in Peru as workers demand a larger slice of the country's economic boom. Union leaders had planned to go on strike again because the company had threatened to fire about a dozen workers for participating in recent walkouts. But Roman More, head of the union at Cuajone, said the strike slated for Monday was called off as the company agreed to sit down with workers and the government for talks on Tuesday. Unions from the company's Ilo smelter and Toquepala mine were also expected to participate. "We are going to meet on Tuesday to see if we can reach an agreement about the firings. The meetings were requested by the government," More said. Alberto Giles, the company's human resources director, said the strike plans were scrapped. "In the case of Cuajone ... they suspended the strike plan," he said. "With regards to Ilo, the strike was supposed to start on Wednesday, but I don't think there will be a strike. I think the strike will also be canceled at Ilo." Cuajone, which produced some 148,939 tonnes of copper last year, is Southern's biggest mine in Peru, the world's No. 2 copper producer.

ICSG 1 Feb 09 - Based on existing facilities and announced project developments, annual mine production capacity in the period 2009-2013 is expected to grow at an average rate of around 4.3% per year (%/yr) to reach 23.1 Mt in 2013, an increase of around 3.6 Mt (19%) from that in 2009. Of the total increase, copper in concentrate capacity is expected to increase by 2.7Mt (4.3%/yr) to reach 17.9 Mt and solvent extraction-electrowinning (SX-EW) production by 820,000t (4.4%/yr) to reach 5.2 Mt. Most of the new mine projects and expansions are located in Brazil, Chile, Congo, Mongolia, Peru, the United States and Zambia, which together account for around 2.6 Mt (73%) of the projected mine capacity increase during this period. Annual smelter capacity is projected to grow by an average of 2.6%/yr to reach 20.2 Mt in 2013, an increase of 2 Mt (11%) from that in 2009. Asia will be the leading contributor to growth (1.8 Mt), with expansions and new projects expected mostly in China, but also in India, Indonesia and Iran. Africa is the second leading contributor owing to developments in Zambia. North American smelting capacity will fall by 12% (250kt) due to closures of plants in Canada. The ICSG tabulations indicate that world refinery capacity will reach 26.6 Mt in 2013, an increase of 3.2 Mt (13%) from that in 2009. About 2.3 Mt of the expansion is expected to come from electrolytic refineries and 820,000t from electrowinning capacity. Electrolytic refinery capacity growth is projected to average 3.1%/yr, exceeding the projected growth in smelter capacity, and electrowinning capacity growth (at the refinery level) is expected to average 4.3%/yr. About one half (1.5 Mt) of the world refinery capacity increase during this period is expected to come from electrolytic refineries in China; about 25% (830,000 t) from electrolytic capacity increases in India, Indonesia and Iran; and about 20% (600,000 t) from electrowinning capacity increases in Congo, Peru and Zambia.

Like Inca Pacific, Southern Copper Corp, Candente Resources, Strike Resources Ltd and Newmont Mining Corp (NEM.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) have complained of having to reexamine or delay their projects in Peru because of the global crisis. Southern Copper has said plans for its Los Chancas would be evaluated, and that it may consider dipping into dividends for project funding.

LIMA, Peru -- Peru's Southern Copper Corp. on Thursday said second-quarter \nprofit fell 24 percent from the year-ago period amid strikes and higher fuel and \nproduction costs.

Doe Run Peru, the country's fourth largest metals exporter, said on Tuesday it will halt all operations at its sprawling La Oroya smelter on Wednesday because financial and environmental setbacks have prevented it from buying concentrates. The plant, hobbled by financial woes since March, processes lead, zinc and copper. Its work permits could be canceled if it does not meet an October deadline for an environmental cleanup.

ICMM is pleased to announce the formal launch of the Spanish language version of its Planning for Integrated Mine Closure: Toolkit at the 29th mining convention PerúMin, in Arequipa, Peru.