(Alliance News) - Glencore PLC on Tuesday noted the extension of a quarantine in Colombia and the lockdown in South Africa, amid the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the decision to halt operations for two weeks at its Antamina joint venture in Peru.
More positively, although the government of Quebec, Canada, has extended its order for non-essential businesses to stay closed until May 4, mining is considered to be "an essential activity" starting April 15. As such, Glencore's Raglan nickel and Matagami zinc operations in Quebec are currently "analysing options to restart operations" before May 4.
Colombia's president imposed a 19-day quarantine starting March 25, which has been subsequently extended to April 27. Glencore's wholly owned Prodeco unit, which operates in Colombia, will keep its mining operations on care and maintenance while continuing to operate the Puerto Nuevo port.
As with Colombia, South Africa has extended its lockdown to April 30. Glencore's ferroalloys operations and its Middleburg and Graspan coal operations are still on care and maintenance.
Meanwhile, in Peru, operations at the miner's Antamia joint venture, in which Glencore holds a 34% stake, are being halted for around two weeks. The workforce at Antamina has also been demobilised for two weeks and "the camp will be thoroughly disinfected and increased protocols put in place for those arriving at/departing from site". Protocols include social distancing measures and enhanced medical screening.
In Zambia, after subsidiary Mopani Copper Mines announced it was transitioning its mining operations to care and maintenance, Glencore is now in talk with the Zambian government for a "way forward".
"For all our offices and industrial assets that are continuing to operate, we continue to implement various additional precautionary measures to protect our employees. We recognise the uncertainty caused by the current environment and endeavour to support our workforce and local communities, as appropriate," Glencore said.
"Our local teams are working closely with governments, health agencies and other key responders to identify their needs to provide the most effective response possible. In order to support these efforts, we recently launched the USD25 million Glencore Community Support Fund. This fund will complement existing efforts by our local teams to provide the support their communities need most at this time," the company added.
Shares in Glencore were up 2.5% at ZAR33.07 in Johannesburg on Tuesday and were up 1.8% at 147.31 pence in London.
By Anna Farley; annafarley@alliancenews.com
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