Page 37 - pd282-May20-mag-web_Neat

workforce demobilised from site with a record concentrator throughput to the nine the scope of the works contained in the
skeleton staff performing essential tasks, months ended March 31, but also looking contracts, until June 30 to the extent that
including disinfecting the site, to enable to prepare for an uncertain few years in the operational continuity in the site or respec-
the operation to restart when it is deemed country. tive area is maintained.
appropriate. “We are actively monitoring the rapidly BHP estimates its contribution to be in
Freeport-McMoRan Inc has also had evolving social, political and economic the order of $US25 million, which includes
to ramp down operations at Cerro Verde situation in Chile. We expect the next two an initial $US8 million of aid provided be-
– one of the largest employers in the Areq- years to remain highly uncertain, with the tween March 23 and April 13.
uipa region – with the concentrator func- process for arriving at a new constitution BHP’s support for its employees and
tioning at just one-third of the desired rate. dominating the agenda. This will intro- contractors in Chile is similar to the posi-
Freeport’s 53.6%-owned Cerro Verde duce high levels of uncertainty into deci- tion First Quantum Minerals Ltd has taken
concentrating facilities are among the sion making in both the public and private in Panama.
world’s largest, with the mine producing 1 spheres,” BHP stated. Cobre Panama was placed on care-
blb copper and 29 mlb molyb- and-maintenance after the Di-
denum in 2019. rector General of Health of the
The state of emergency in Ministry of Health of the Repub-
Peru has seen nightly curfews lic of Panama (MINSA) ordered
in place for the best part of the temporary suspension of
a month, however, President labour activities at its Panama-
Martin Vizcarra expects presi- nian subsidiary Minera Pana-
dential elections to proceed in ma, S.A., as a sanitary control
2021 and the country’s econ- measure due to COVID-19.
omy to awaken from “hiberna- Cobre Panama will be kept
tion”, Reuters reported. on care-and-maintenance until
Mining is a major contribu- MINSA is satisfied the quaran-
tor to Peru’s economy and tine conditions are appropriate.
emerging projects like Anglo Cobre Panama operations
American plc’s $US5 billion general manager Gordon White
Quellaveco copper project are said the company would con-
primed to inject further cash A national state of emergency was in place in Peru at the time of print tinue to support its employees,
into the country’s coffers. their families and the wider
While production of 300,000 tpa copper For the time being, as BHP has signifi- community during this challenging period.
is not expected to start until 2022, 10,000 cantly reduced both its number of employ- “So far, we have donated 60 container-
construction workers were in full swing at ees (from 7,310 to 4,910) and contractors ised health clinic modules to the Ministry
Quellaveco prior to the strict COVID-19 (21,911 to 11,289) in its operations in Chile, of Health for use as health posts and com-
measures imposed by the Peruvian Gov- it has taken on the responsibility of under- munity quarantine facilities, both in the
ernment. Anglo has therefore temporarily taking a significant part of the contractor region and nationally, to assist the protec-
withdrawn the majority of employees and companies’ cost to maintain the remunera- tion of those most vulnerable in our com-
contractors from Quellaveco and con- tion of their demobilised workers and their munities. The mine is also donating much
struction work significantly reduced, with respective jobs. needed medical supplies such as ventila-
only critical areas of the project continuing For smaller and medium-sized compa- tors to the Ministry of Health. We have also
as normal, until such time as workers can nies deemed to be in more fragile finan- responded to the Government’s request to
return safely. cial situations and whose local or regional support families in need with food and sup-
Across the border in Chile, BHP Ltd workforce is important, BHP will continue plies,” White said.
is not only trying to absorb the impact of to voluntarily pay 70% or 90% (as the case – Paydirt with Reuters
COVID-19 on Escondida, where produc- may be) of the fixed remuneration and so-
tion was reportedly increased courtesy of cial security contributions associated with

Los Cerros finds partner mineralised porphyry to the north and north-east. Field crews
will also attend to ground preparation for IP surveys at Tesorito
and Chuscal, for which Los Cerros is poised to have its own
as Colombia opens up equipment to use for.
Subject to a positive outcome from a six-month trial of the
strategic partnership agreement with Ausino, Los Cerros will
Timing was good for Los Cerros last month. Just as it was acquire IP equipment from its partner, plus a diamond drill rig
bringing in Hong Kong’s Ausino Investment Ltd (Ausino) with all the trimmings and after-sale support in the form of
as a strategic partner, the Colombian Ministry of Mines and continued expertise on site to build internal capabilities. A
Energy was reopening its fields to exploration. specialist geophysics team to conduct surveys over targets
within Los Cerros’ portfolio totalling 100,000ha of land in the
In line with strict compliance to Colombia’s guidelines in mid-Cauca gold belt of Colombia will also be provided by Ausino.
managing the COVID-19 pandemic, Los Cerros was preparing
its geologists to return Tesorito within the company’s Quinchia Subject to the six-month trial period, Ausino is committed to
gold project, 100km south of Medellin in the country’s central- providing equipment and services to Los Cerros for 18 months
west as Paydirt went to print. up to a value of $2 million.
Geologists will be completing field work to better understand It will be at Los Cerros’ discretion whether to pay Ausino in cash
the regional structure and potential extensions of the Tesorito or shares, subject to conditions.

aUSTRaLIa’S PaYDIRT MaY 2020 Page 37