Glencore’s Antapaccay copper mine attacked, fire breaks out

Glencore’s massive Antapaccay copper mine in Peru faced its latest disruption on Friday, as a fire spread through a nearby worker housing area which is believed to have been started by protesters, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Video footage published by the company on its Facebook page shows people putting flammable material near one of the mine’s fences.

The attack comes as growing political and social unrest grips Peru, following weeks of angry and sometimes violent anti-government protests triggered by the ouster of the country’s president last month.

Glencore’s mine, of the country’s largest, was operating at a “restricted” capacity earlier this week due to protests.

Glencore did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(By Marco Aquino; Editing by Isabel Woodford)