Tahoe suspended operations at its La Arena mine in Peru, pictured, on August 30. Courtesy of Tahoe Resources

Tahoe Resources temporarily suspended work at its La Arena mine in Peru after a large protest from nearby community members disrupted operations.

Tahoe said it has filed charges against the leaders of the protest for trespassing onto its property, and said it has notified the police, the country’s Ministry of Energy and Mines, and the Peruvian cabinet.

According to a Tahoe press release on Friday, a group of 80 to 100 members from the nearby La Ramada community made their way onto the property and demanded payment from the company.

Their monetary demands stem from meetings that the company has held with local residents over allegations that the dust and vibrations from the mine have had a negative impact on their community, Tahoe said. However, the company claims that it regularly monitors the effects of the mine blasts on the community, and that it is fully compliant with the law.

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Tahoe cancelled the night shift on August 30, and  has since ordered its employees to stay in their homes. While mining operations are suspended, leaching activities will continue as normal. The company did not say when it expected mining operations to resume.

This comes only a few months after a worker strike over demands for a larger share of Tahoe’s profits disrupted operations at the mine for almost two weeks.

Days after Tahoe halted work at La Arena, its flagship Esobal mine in Guatemala was dealt a blow. The country’s Constitutional Court upheld the Guatemala Supreme Court decision to  suspend operations at Escobal on Monday. The original decision was in response to a lawsuit by anti-mining group CALAS that claimed the country’s Ministry of Energy and Mines had failed to consult the local Xinca Indigenous group before granting Tahoe its license. The Constitutional Court ordered Escobal to remain shut until the ministry had consulted with the Xinca.

News of the court decision caused  Tahoe’s shares to drop more than 18 per cent on Tuesday morning.