Lundin Mining (TSX:LUN) says it may take two to three weeks for its Caserones copper mine to resume operations as it continues to repair damages from the severe winter storm that swept across Chile.
The mine, situated in the high-altitude Andean range of Northern Chile, has been halted since 18 July after heavy snowfall cut site access and disrupted power in the region.
Infrastructure assessments conducted after the storm identified damage to two powerline towers serving the Caserones operation.
Crews have since arrived on site and are working on repairs, with full power restoration and gradual restart of operations anticipated to take approximately two to three weeks, Lundin says.
Backup generators continue to support critical site infrastructure in the interim, it adds.
The outage could erase about 10,000 tonnes of copper output, putting Caserones’ guidance for the year at risk unless production rebounds in the fourth quarter, according to Bloomberg Intelligence analysts.
Lundin previously maintained its 2026 copper guidance for Caserones at 130,000–140,000 tonnes.
Elsewhere, the Candelaria mine has returned to full capacity. The site was briefly impacted by heavy rainfall after the snowstorm, though the mill remained running to process existing ore stockpiles.
Chile is recovering from deadly winter rains that swelled rivers and triggered mudslides for days, as crews clear blocked segments of the copper-exporting country’s main highway in normally arid north-central regions.
The storms also forced temporary disruptions at assets owned by major operators including Teck Resources (TSX:TECK.A/TECK.B), Codelco, and Antofagasta Plc (LSE:ANTO).
Lundin Mining is a Canadian company with three operating mines in Brazil and Chile.
Write to Jackson Chen at Mining.com.au
Image: Lundin Mining
