“As COVID-19 cases rise in Latin America, miners continue to ramp-up production” – 18 June 2020

…While cases of COVID-19 surge in parts of Latin America, the mining sector continues to ramp-up previously suspended operations, with analysts raising the possibility of fresh supply shocks should viral outbreaks force miners or governments to take more action. Latin America accounts for almost half of new coronavirus-related deaths, according to the Financial Times, with Brazil emerging as a major epicenter. Analysts have noted that the surge in Latin America comes as other major economies that consume copper, China most notably, reopen. In Chile, a union has warned that the situation is alarming, while in Peru, workers have pushed for more stringent health protocols. Still, it remains uncertain whether rising cases of COVID-19 will lead to new rounds of production cuts in Latin America, but analysts consider it a possibility… In Mexico, mining was declared an essential service in mid-May after the government largely suspended operations in late March. So far, mines under new COVID-19 protocols have not had any outbreaks of the virus, said Francisco Quiroga, Mexico's undersecretary of mines with the country's Ministry of Economy. In Peru, where mine production was heavily curtailed in recent months due to the coronavirus, operations are ramping back up under stringent protocols, according to reports…