Mining & Metals: The week in 10 stories

Copper miners are facing higher capital and operating costs for future projects due to challenges ranging from lower quality deposits to technical and social issues, CRU principal analyst Robert Edwards told BNamericas.

PERU

Protests spread in a dispute over China Minmetals' Las Bambas copper mine, after talks between the Peruvian government and an Andean community failed to make headway.

BRAZIL

Vale signed agreements to provide financial contributions to the Minas Gerais state government and mining municipalities, partly aimed at minimizing losses from the shutdown of the company's mining units following January's deadly dam burst.

REGIONAL

Goldcorp shareholders backed Newmont Mining's US$10bn takeover of the company, which would create the world's biggest gold miner.

The region's top 10 silver producers are in line for output growth in 2019, according to midpoint guidance and BNamericas estimates.

PANAMA

A bill aimed at ending legal doubts over First Quantum Minerals' US$6.3bn Cobre Panamá project concessions was presented to congress.

BOLIVIA

Bolivia and India signed an MOU for a potential lithium JV project as the Andean country seeks investors for the battery metal.

PROJECTS

Antofagasta Minerals secured US$1.3bn to finance its Los Pelambres expansion in Chile, while Teck Resources sold a 30% stake in its Quebrada Blanca Phase 2 copper project in the country to Sumitomo and Sumitomo Metal Mining.

Meanwhile, Lundin Gold drew down US$159mn to advance its Fruta del Norte gold project in Ecuador.