As the protests from local residents blocked the road to mines and ferronickel plants, South32, a mining and metals company headquartered in Australia, hasn’t invoked force majeure on contracts with clients in spite of work disruptions at its Cerro Matoso nickel project in Colombia. However, the contractors and suppliers were asked to reduce their essential activities at the mining site.

Local group members of two communities have started a protest by blocking roads at the Cerro Matoso operation since December 10 to strive for greater benefits from the mining industry, claiming that South32 didn’t comply with the law.