On April 29, Newmont Goldcorp announced it is planning to suspend operations at its Peñasquito mine in Mexico due to roadblocks carried out by a trucking contractor and some members of the Cedros community.
The open-pit mine in Zacatecas, Mexico, produced 272,000 ounces (oz) of gold in 2018, according to company figures. The roadblocks began on March 27, the company said in a statement, adding that it is working with Mexican authorities to resolve the problem. The mine was part of the Goldcorp portfolio, which Newmont acquired recently.
In a conference with analysts on the results of the first quarter, Newmont Goldcorp COO Tom Palmer said that the roadblock was due to community concerns over the water supply and “some problems related to a trucking contractor.”
The new company decided to suspend operations in Peñasquito after four weeks of blockades at the facilities.