Striking workers disrupt access to Chile’s Escondida, Zaldivar copper mines

Striking contract workers are disrupting a critical route that provides access to Chile’s Escondida and Zaldivar copper mines, causing issues with shift changes and intermittent vehicle traffic, global miner BHP said on Friday.

The workers, who are employed by contractor Finning and have been on strike since the beginning of the month, have launched intermittent blocks in the La Negra industrial sector and on the road leading to BHP’s Escondida mine and Antofagasta Minerals’ Zaldivar mine.

BHP confirmed that the roadblocks were affecting vehicle traffic and shift changes at its Escondida mine.

“Our company has been affected for four days by a third-party conflict. The blockades on the mining route have led to intermittent vehicle traffic to and from our operations, with delays in shift changes,” said Pablo Pisani, Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Communications for Escondida-BHP, in a statement.

“We urgently call on the authorities and all involved parties to resolve this situation so that we can carry out our activities under appropriate conditions,” he added.

Union sources had previously told Reuters the disruption of the “mining route,” the access road that connects the northern city of Antofagasta with mining sites.

Members of Union 2 of the machinery contractor Finning, which provides services to various mining companies, began their work stoppage after their contract negotiations failed, and in the last four days, temporary blockades have been increasing.

Antofagasta Minerals did not respond to a request for comment.

(Reporting by Fabian Cambero; editing by Cassandra Garrison)