Strike at Major Chilean Copper Mine Continues

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Written by Amir Richani for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas)

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Summary

Workers at the Mantoverde copper mine in Chile continue their strike that began January 2. The union says operations remain practically halted, with the concentrator being fed at 30% using stockpiled ore. The company has not issued an update since January 1.

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Strike at Mantoverde Copper Mine

Union No.2 at Capstone Copper Corporation's (Vancouver, British Columbia) Mantoverde Copper Mine in Chile has been on strike since January 2. Negotiations between the company and the workers failed and the union rejected Capstone's proposed agreement, according to news outlet El Zorro Nortino.

On January 7, the union said that conversations between the company and the workers failed and that they will maintain an indefinite strike. The union also said operations at the mine were almost completely idle, with the mine's concentrator fed at 30% with stockpiled inventory extracted before the start of the strike and which would last for approximately two days.

On January 9, El Zorro Nortino also reported a fire at the Mantoverde mine; however, Capstone has not released any statements on its website regarding the mine's situation since January 1, just before the strike began.

On January 12, Mineria en Linea, a local news outlet, reported that tensions increased, with the union saying that the Chilean labor authority informed the company it would not have emergency teams drown from the union to maintain operations.

The Union No.2 at Mantoverde represents 50% of Mantoverde's employees, equivalent to 22% of the total workforce. In 2025, Mantoverde negotiated a new three-year collective bargaining agreement with the other three unions at the mine.

The Mantoverde mine produced 23,300 tons of copper cathodes and 48,000 tons of copper concentrate during the first three quarters of 2025, with Q3 closing at 8,550 tons of copper cathodes and 15,200 tons of copper concentrate.

Market Disruptions

The strike at Mantoverde puts further pressure on a copper market already impacted by operational disruptions at mines such as El Teniente and Quebrada Blanca in Chile and Grasberg in Indonesia. These problems have reduced market supply and contributed to tighter supply conditions.

Meanwhile, copper prices reached new highs in January, near US$6 per pound.

Key Takeaways

• Workers continue to strike at Capstone's Chilean Mantoverde copper mine.
• The labor union reports that operations at the mine are almost idle.

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About IIR News Intelligence
IIR News Intelligence is a trusted source of news for the industrial process and energy markets, powered by Industrial Info Resource's Global Market Intelligence (GMI).

About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 Trillion (USD).