Mining Alert – March 2020

Activities of the mining subsector excepted from the provisions limiting freedom of transit during the state of emergency as a result of COVID-19

Through Official Letter No. 059-2020-EF/10.01 of March 17, 2020, the Ministry of Economy and Finance agreed with the proposal of the Ministry of Energy and Mines regarding the activities of the mining subsector excepted for the provisions limiting freedom of transit, contained in article 4 of Supreme Decree No. 044-2020-PCM, as follows:

1. The «mining units» shall be able to transfer the personnel necessary to the mining unit in order to ensure that their critical operations are sustained and restored to normal levels after the emergency. For this purpose, each mining owner shall define the minimum essential personnel (own and from contractors) to assure the sustainability of such critical operations.
2. The mining owner must adapt and update the Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan in accordance with the provisions of Supreme Decree No. 024-2016-EM, Regulations on Occupational Safety and Health in Mining and the First Final Complementary Provision of the Supreme Decree No. 037-2017-EM.
3. Each mining owner must approve and implement monitoring and safety guidelines during the period of mandatory social isolation in the Mining Units to guarantee health protection during the state of emergency.
4. Mining owners must comply with the protocol approved by MINSA to prevent, contain and mitigate the spread of COVID-19, within the framework of health control actions.
5. Mining owners are empowered to continue with the transport of ore concentrates, refined metal, cathodes, doré and others, cargo and merchandise and related activities to ensure operations and the logistics cycle.