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Las Bambas suspends operations in Peru after fatal accident
MMG expects a progressive restart from Aug. 21, while the halt removes supply from one of Peru’s largest copper mines and about 2% of global mined output.
MMG Ltd. has suspended operations at its Las Bambas copper mine in Peru after an accident killed two workers and injured three others. The incident happened Aug. 18 during pump replacement work at a clarification pond about 9 km from the processing plant.
Peru’s labor inspection authority, Sunafil, has opened an investigation and sent inspectors to the site to determine the circumstances. MMG said it expects operations to restart progressively from Aug. 21 and has not announced any change to its 2026 copper production guidance.
Las Bambas is one of Peru’s largest copper mines and produced 410,829 tonnes of copper in 2025, about 28% higher than its 2024 output, based on Ministry of Energy and Mines data. The mine’s output represented roughly 2% of global mined supply, meaning even a short suspension could tighten copper concentrate availability.
The halt comes amid broader South American disruptions that have kept supply concerns elevated, including a recent 10,000-tonne reduction in Lundin Mining’s Chile guidance tied to weather interruptions. Las Bambas has also faced repeated stoppages since its ramp up in 2015 to 2016, largely linked to protests and road blockades along its concentrate transport corridor, though this latest stoppage stems from a workplace accident.
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