The company says the animosity against Tia Maria, which is part of its $15 billion pipeline of projects for this decade, has subsided significantly in the past months and that it expects to begin production at the mine in 2026.
Developing the controversial project would be a breakthrough in a country where mining’s relations with isolated rural communities often sour. The mine is expected to produce 120,000 tonnes of copper a year over an estimated 20-year lifespan. It would employ 3,000 people during construction and provide 4,150 permanent direct and indirect jobs.
Besides Tia Maria, Southern Copper has two other major project in Peru — Los Chancas, slated to begin production in 2030, and Michiquillay in 2032. The three projects involve a combined investment of $6.5 billion.