Company said lithium sales volumes in Q4 jumped 50% from the previous quarter, hitting a three-month record of more than 25,000 tonnes.

Chinese gold mining companies are on a buying spree in West Africa and South America, outbidding rivals for assets in less familiar regions.

The company had sent some 2,700 employees home to work remotely.

Artisanal mining is considered the main source of global mercury pollution.

Company's 2020 revenue rose by 28% to $2.9 billion as gold and silver prices jumped.

The blasts, while legal, deeply distressed the traditional owners and led to a public outcry and a national inquiry, ultimately costing three top executives and two board members, including the chair, their jobs.

It can take twice as long to build mines now than in the past, according to Southern Copper.