Camino Minerals Corp. has reported that the Los Chapitos copper project's local community of Atiquipa, Jaqui, y Yauca, and the nearby township of Chala in Peru have started to receive their first coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations of Sinopharm.
The company said the vaccination program will benefit its operations and improve overall safety conditions, as it has hired locally to staff its housing and operations and to support and execute the current geophysical program.
During the pandemic, Camino said it provided the local community with COVID-19 testing kits, financial support for ranchers to purchase feed for animals, and food packages for those infected with COVID-19.
READ: Camino says geophysical survey of copper and gold targets is underway at its Los Chapitos project in Peru
Camino is also supplying the community of Atiquipa with 10 computer tablets and new satellite internet access, while the community's existing network is undergoing an upgrade. Other, non-local, Camino employees have also received vaccinations.
With strict protocols in place, Camino noted that it remained active in Peru through the COVID-19 pandemic, recently raising $8 million to continue its investment in the South American nation.
Other major milestones achieved during the pandemic at its Los Chapitos copper project include the 2020 drilling program, various exploration programs, and a geophysics campaign. Camino expects to start a drilling campaign at Los Chapitos in mid-August 2021.
Also during the pandemic, the company advanced exploration of its Plata Dorada silver and copper project and increased its land package, and acquired the Maria Cecilia copper porphyry project.
'We are very grateful that the local community of Atiquipa, Jaqui, y Yauca, the township of Chala, and our employees in Peru are starting to receive COVID-19 vaccinations,” said Camino CEO Jay Chmelauskas in a statement.
“This is a very dynamic time in Peru, with a new president inaugurated this week. The mining industry's investments and actions support Peru's development goals and initiatives through community investments, and employment and training, particularly in remote locations. I have been in Lima speaking with government transition teams and liaison offices to begin to position Camino for future opportunities. We are a very active entrepreneurial group with long-term vision and we are ready to review new opportunities and consider increasing our investment in the country,” he added.
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