Capstone Copper Corp. has resumed operations at its Mantoverde copper and gold mine in northern Chile despite ongoing labour strikes.
The Canadian miner said it expects to continue operations at between 50 per cent and 75 per cent of normal production during the strike.
The decision to resume operations follows a Chilean court ruling authorising the forced removal of striking workers from a coastal desalination plant that supplies water to Mantoverde.
The strike began on January 2 after negotiations over new labour contracts with Union No. 2 of Mantoverde broke down.
Employees rejected a proposal that included a final payment of about US$17,400 per worker and a 1 per cent wage adjustment.
Capstone said it remains open to further dialogue with the union to resolve the dispute.
Union No. 2 represents approximately 22 per cent of the total workforce.
Striking union members are preventing access and the restart of facility operations at the desalination plant. At Mantoverde, on-site water reserves continue to be used for essential services.
The strike halted part of the mine’s operations, including sulphide processing.
Mantoverde is an open-pit copper-gold mine located in the province of Chañaral in Chile’s Atacama Region.
In 2025, Mantoverde produced 62,308 tonnes of copper concentrate and 32,807 tonnes of copper cathodes.