Fortuna Silver Mines

Fortuna was founded in 2004 by Jorge Ganoza and Simon Ridgway.[2] Ganoza is from a Peruvian mining family. Fortuna acquired its Caylloma property in 2004, and started production in 2006.[2] Also in 2006, it acquired the land necessary for its San José del Progreso mine in Mexico.[3] Construction on the mine began in 2010, with production starting in 2011.[3]

In 2016, Fortuna acquired Goldrock Mines for C$129 million, for that company's Lindero silver project in Argentina.[4] In November 2017, the company announced it would move forward with construction at its Lindero project.[1]

Fortuna has two operating mines:

• The San Jose silver mine in San José del Progreso, Oaxaca, Mexico. It also produces gold.[4] In 2017, production was 7.5 million ounces of silver and 55,950 ounces of gold.[5]
• The Caylloma silver mine in Arequipa, Peru, which also produces zinc and lead.[2] In 2017, production was 0.9 million ounces of silver, 29.9 million pounds of lead, and 44.3 million pounds of zinc.[6]

Fortuna also has a gold mine under construction at its Lindero project in Salta, Argentina.[1]

Fortuna was involved in an ongoing dispute with opponents of its San Jose mine. In 2009, there was a two-month long blockade at the company's San Jose mine, with protesters worried about industrial contamination.[7] The blockade lasted from March to May, and was eventually broken up by state police, leading to 19 arrests.[3] In January 2012, opposition increased, due to concerns that the mine was improperly accessing the local water supply.[3] In March 2012, Bernardo Vasquez, the leader of an opposition group to the mine, was shot and killed.[8] One other anti-mine activist was killed in the same year, with three others injured by gunfire.[9] The company denies responsibility for the violence, saying that it was the result of pre-existing social divisions.[9]