Sunday, June 16, 2024

BC 
Taseko reaches tentative labour deal for Gibraltar mine restart

Staff Writer | June 16, 2024

The Gibraltar open pit mine in BC. Credit: Taseko Mines

Taseko Mines’ (TSX: TKO) Gibraltar mine in British Columbia is set to resume operations in the coming week after the company and the workers’ union reached a tentative agreement over the weekend.



On June 1, more than 500 workers at the mine located north of Williams Lake, BC, went on strike after talks over a new collective agreement broke down after months of negotiations. The current collective agreement expired on May 31.

In a statement by Unifor, their representative union, it was alleged that Taseko had “refused to negotiate basic terms” and “shown little interest in avoiding a disruption at the copper mine.”

The miner was subsequently forced to suspend mining and milling operations, leaving only essential staff on site to maintain critical systems.

Acquired in 1999, the Gibraltar mine is currently Taseko’s only producing asset, anchored by a large mineral reserve base that would support an average annual copper production of 130 million lb. until at least 2044.

Now in its 20th year of operation, Gibraltar represents the second-largest open-pit copper mine in Canada, owing to $800 million of spending on multiple phases of modernization and expansion.

The new collective agreement would spell the end of the two-week work stoppage at the largest employer in the Cariboo region. In 2024, the mine is expected to produce 115 million lb. of copper, having already topped its guidance last year with 122.6 million lb. produced.

The new agreement remains subject to ratification by union members, and voting is expected to occur early this week. If the agreement is ratified, Taseko expects to resume operations on Wednesday.

Union at BHP copper mine in Chile accepts contract, averting strike

Reuters | June 14, 2024 | 


Spence copper mine, Chile. (Image courtesy of BHP)

The union representing workers at BHP’s Spence copper mine in Chile accepted a contract proposal by the company on Friday by an overwhelming margin, averting the risk of a strike.


Around 93% of union members voted in favor of the proposal, with the other 7% voting to strike, a tally provided by the union showed.

The three-year contract will give workers a “significant raise” in terms of salary and benefits, the union said in a statement.

Earlier this week, workers and the firm had reached an initial agreement that required a vote by union members to go into effect.

The union represents more than 1,100 workers at the copper mine located in northern Chile. Their previous collective agreement expired on May 31.

BHP had previously said that the Spence mine, which produced 249,000 metric tons of copper last year, was operating as normal while the firm was in negotiations with the union.

“The company appreciates the willingness for dialogue, respect and effort to build a sustainable and beneficial agreement for both parties,” BHP said in a statement.

Chile is the world’s largest copper producer.

(By Fabian Cambero and Kylie Madry; Editing by Leslie Adler, Sarah Morland and Aurora Ellis)

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