Rio Alto resumes mining activities at Peruvian La Arena mines

LIMA (Scrap Monster) : Rio Alto has announced resumption of mining activities at the Peruvian La Arena gold oxide mine. The company further stated that the temporary shutdown of mining operations has not affected the company’s production guidance for 2013.

 The Vancouver-based Rio Alto Mining Limited had earlier announced temporary suspension of mining activities at its Peruvian mine following a road blockade cutting the fuel supplies to the mine site.

The mass protests and indefinite road blockade was organized by a group called Central Unica de Rondas Campesinas (CURC) in protest against the Peruvian police force and judiciary system. The blockade of the Trujillo to Huamachuco public road caused exhaustion of the backup fuel supply at Rio Alto’s La Arena gold oxide mine. The mining and civil construction activities are at standstill. The company is reported to be having reserve fuel sufficient enough to run gold processing activities for at least two weeks.

Rio Alto Mining Limited is a Canadian based resource company focused on the development of the 21,000 ha La Arena gold / copper project, located in north central Peru, the most prolific gold mining district in the country.

La Arena contains 3.9 million ounces gold and 2.0 billion pounds copper in measured & indicated resources with additional inferred resources of 2.2 million ounces gold and 2.1 billion pounds copper. First gold production at La Arena occurred on May 6th, 2011 and 201,113 ounces of gold were poured in 2012.