Overview
- The Mining Council, in a March 19 resolution, nullified the October 13, 2025 authorization to begin extraction and returned the case to the General Directorate of Mining for a fresh ruling.
- The Energy and Mines Ministry said this is a procedural reset that keeps the administrative process open, so construction continues but mining cannot start until a new exploitation permit is issued.
- The council found the 2025 decision lacked proper legal reasoning and failed to fully detail two items: the exact design of waste dumps and the schedule for carrying out the mining plan.
- The central bank called Tía María a major project worth about $1.8 billion with planned output near 120,000 tons of copper cathodes a year and said the construction phase remains on track as it urged a quick resolution.
- Local actors pressed their challenges, with the Islay provincial government questioning whether the environmental impact study is still valid and Valley of Tambo groups warning about risks to water and air.