Hudbay Minerals has received approval from the National Environmental Certification Service for Sustainable Investments in Perú (SENACE) for amending its environmental permit at the Constancia mine in Peru.

This amendment will allow the company to further increase the annual mill processing capacity at Constancia.

The approval raises the permitted processing capacity at the Constancia mill from 31 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) to 34mtpa.

This is the fifth environmental permit amendment at the mine.

In March 2026, Hudbay secured consent to lift its mill throughput from 29.9mtpa to 31mtpa.

The company processed 30.3mt of ore in 2025 and 31.9mt in 2024.

According to Hudbay, the increased capacity will support ongoing efforts to optimise the Peruvian mine’s operations and sustain copper output.

The company noted that its throughput increase aligns with regulations from the Peru Ministry of Energy and Mines, which allow for operational flexibility of up to 10% above nominal daily capacity.

The amended environmental permit also allows for additional optimisation of the mine plan and extends the operational lifespan of Constancia.

It includes approval for new infrastructure aimed at enhancing tailings transport and water management systems.

Hudbay entered Peru in 2011 through the Constancia copper project acquisition.

Constancia, fully owned by the company, is located in the Chumbivilcas province in southern Peru and comprises the Constancia and Pampacancha deposits.

Hudbay is focused on copper and other critical minerals, with three operating sites and a portfolio of growth projects in Canada, Peru and the US.

Its active operations include the Constancia mine in Cusco, the Snow Lake site in Manitoba and the Copper Mountain mine in British Columbia.

In March this year, the company signed an agreement to acquire Arizona Sonoran Copper Company in a $1.48bn (C$2.02bn) transaction.