Industrial action closes Mexican copper mine

Cananea, Mexico’s biggest copper mine, is to remain closed following a court ruling granting a provisional injunction in support of the 3,000 striking miners employed by Grupo Mexico.

The Court will go on to consider whether the action is legal and whether the miners can be sacked.

The miners at Cananea and two smaller Grupo Mexico mines had previously been ordered to return to work by the government of Mexico, but feelings are running high amongst the workers, who are incensed about pay and the working conditions in the mines.

A quick court decision on the injunction is unlikely and it is probable that the situation will have to be resolved by the parties concerned.

Grupo Mexico is also facing strike threats at its mines in Peru, run by its Southern Copper division.

Production at Cananea ceased at the end of July and Grupo Mexico’s San Martin copper mine and Taxco lead and silver mine are also affected by the strike.

Cananea produced 164,000 tonnes of copper in 2006 and its owners plan to increase output to 438,000 tonnes over the next five years, by building new processing plants.