Lundin Mining’s (TSX: LUN) Caserones copper operation remains offline more than a week after a severe winter storm knocked out power at the site, and the company now expects it will take roughly two to three more weeks to fully restore electricity and gradually restart production.
The mine has been without power since July 18, when heavy snowfall damaged two powerline towers serving the operation. Backup generators are keeping critical infrastructure running, but the mill itself remains halted until grid power returns. Repair crews have been mobilized to fix the damaged lines.
There are signs of progress, with access roads that were blocked by snow progressively reopening, and fresh crews are being rotated in to replace those stranded by the storm. Still, the restart will be gradual rather than a flip of the switch once power is back.
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The picture is brighter at Lundin’s nearby Candelaria mine. Mining there was briefly disrupted by heavy rainfall, but the operation has since returned to full capacity, and the mill kept running on existing ore stockpiles throughout.
The storm swept across northern and central Chile earlier this month, bringing snow, heavy rain and flooding to the Atacama region. When Lundin first flagged the disruption on July 21, it said weather-related interruptions at Caserones were already baked into its annual production targets.
Caserones produced 132,881 tonnes of copper in 2025, beating guidance, and the company is targeting 130,000 to 140,000 tonnes this year. Candelaria is guided at 135,000 to 145,000 tonnes of copper for 2026, with output weighted toward the second half.
Lundin Mining last traded at $35.94 on the TSX.
