Nexa to Invest US$117.4 Million to Upgrade Peru's Cerro Lindo Mine

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Disclosed on September 10, Nexa Resources plans to invest US$117.4 million in a package of optimization works at the Cerro Lindo underground polymetallic mine in the Ica Region of Peru, covering the expansion of the Pahuaypite 2 filtered tailings storage facility, relocation and reconstruction of the underground primary crushing system, surface mobile crushing facilities, new portals, and camp renovation and expansion. The relevant plans were previously submitted by Nexa Resources Perú to the National Environmental Certification Service for Sustainable Investments (Senace) of Peru, as part of the technical support report under the framework of the second environmental impact assessment modification for Cerro Lindo.

Among these, Nexa plans to increase the currently approved capacity of the Pahuaypite 2 filtered tailings storage facility by a further 10%, adding approximately 1.53 million cubic meters of storage capacity. The tailings facility currently has an approved capacity of 15.12 million cubic meters and an approved footprint of 29.48 hectares; after expansion, the footprint will increase to 31.22 hectares, of which approximately 1.74 hectares will be added for filtered tailings storage. The works also involve adjustments to operating roads and ramps, relocation of some seawater desalination pipelines within the expansion area, and adjustment of the flood interception ditch on the left bank.

Cerro Lindo has previously continued to expand its tailings disposal capacity. Earlier approved optimization plans included increasing the storage capacity of the Pahuaypite 1 and Pahuaypite 2 tailings facilities and constructing a new waste rock dump at Pahuaypite 2; among these, Pahuaypite 2 was once increased from approximately 11 million cubic meters to 15.12 million cubic meters. Documents from Peru's environmental regulatory authority show that Pahuaypite 2 was initially approved with a capacity of 10 million cubic meters, with supporting facilities including a starter dam, a drying platform, and a surface water management system.

Another major project is the relocation and optimization of the underground primary crushing station. The area where the existing primary crushing system is located is affected by surrounding underground mining and blasting activities, and Nexa plans to relocate it to a location with more suitable geomechanical and stability conditions and greater distance from approved underground operating areas. The new crusher will be installed in a new underground crushing chamber, with a nominal processing capacity of 1,000 tonnes per hour and a design capacity of 1,200 tonnes per hour. The plan also includes configuring mobile crushing facilities on the surface.

The project also plans to build the new "La Planicie" camp to provide accommodation and supporting facilities for construction personnel involved in the relevant renovation works. The planned total capacity is 176 people, with accommodation units using four-story modules, and administrative, medical, training, and comprehensive service spaces; the technical plan also involves adding 3 new portals and optimizing the existing camp and auxiliary facilities.

The underground mining component involves the 875 and 428 ore blocks of the OB2 orebody. The relevant orebodies are located at a depth of approximately 200–400 meters, and the plan proposes incorporating the Block Caving method into the mining arrangements for these unmined orebodies. Nexa started Block Caving operations at Cerro Lindo at the end of the second quarter of 2026 and entered regular operation in July; the company disclosed in the second quarter that this mining method is supported by automated equipment, remote operation, and real-time geotechnical monitoring.

Cerro Lindo is an underground polymetallic mine of zinc, copper, lead, silver, and gold, with a concentrator annual processing capacity of approximately 7.3 million tonnes. Nexa disclosed that in 2025 the mine produced 87,100 tonnes of zinc contained in zinc concentrate, 27,100 tonnes of copper, 10,300 tonnes of lead, and 3,953,200 ounces of silver. In the first half of 2026, Cerro Lindo processed 2.836 million tonnes of ore, including 43,500 tonnes of zinc production and 10,200 tonnes of copper; the company plans to continue extending the mine's operating life through geological work and underground mining optimization.