Cerrejon, the Colombian coal miner, equally owned by BHP group, Anglo American and Glencore has started ramping up operations following a temporary reduction in the production as part of efforts to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, the respiratory illness that has infected more than 7,600 people in Colombia and killed 340.
Cerrejon vice president Juan Consuegra said, “We are aware of the positive impact Cerrejon has on the regional economy and to the country, that is why we have proposed the gradual re-starting of our operations under strict security and control measures.” The company exported 26.3 million tonnes of coal in 2019 and in March it had reduced its operations and established a contingency team to ensure compliance with environmental rules, care for equipment and infrastructure and make sure export obligations were met.
While operations were reduced, 80 percent of Cerrejon staff had access to vacation time. Later on, people who were not part of the contingency team and could also not work from home received paid leave. In the recent production reports, Anglo American and Glencore reported that first-quarter output at Cerrejon dropped by around 10 percent as compared to the first quarter of 2019.
Cerrejon is an integrated mining and transportation complex in Colombia’s La Guajira province, in the northeastern part of the country, which includes an open-pit mine, a 150-km (93-mile railway line) and a Caribbean port.
Source: reuters.com
