MANAGEMENT

San Cristóbal mine closed again due to COVID-19

Sumitomo’s San Cristóbal zinc-lead-silver operation in Bolivia has reportedly been idled for a second time because of the coronavirus pandemic.

 The processing facility at Sumitomo’s San Cristóbal zinc-lead-silver mine

The processing facility at Sumitomo’s San Cristóbal zinc-lead-silver mine

According to a Reuters report, the infection is continuing to spread across the South American nation.

The miner said that, from more than 8,000 checks on its workers and contractors, it identified 168 suspected cases - and confirmed 41.

"Minera San Cristóbal determined to prioritize life and redesign the work system to restart operations in safe conditions without putting at risk any of the more than 1,400 workers, contractor firms and inhabitants of the Colcha K municipality in Potosi (the location of the mine)," the miner told Reuters.

The mine was initially closed from March through May for the same reason.

San Cristóbal is Bolivia's largest mine. Country-wide, there are nearly 110,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and approximately 4,500 deaths.

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