Nittetsu Mining Co. (TSE: 1515) said on September 4, 2026 that it will miss the July-to-September window it set in February for first production at its copper mine development project in Chile. The company previously disclosed heavy-rain effects in Chile on July 29, 2026. It now says intermittent rain through August caused further scouring and bridge damage on the general road serving the mine, disrupting the movement of construction equipment and workers needed to finish the plant that will turn ore into copper concentrate.
A second, separate holdup has emerged. The permit needed from local authorities to connect the plant to the power grid is taking longer than the company originally expected. Nittetsu Mining had assumed that approval would proceed on schedule; it now says the process "took more time than anticipated," without detailing why.
The company draws a sharp line around what has actually been hit: only the transport of people and materials, not the mine itself. Ore extraction is continuing and will scale up as road access improves. Temporary road repairs are already finished and transport capacity has improved from where it stood in July, and talks with regulators on the power permit are described as progressing steadily toward completion.
What is missing from the filing is any new date. Nittetsu Mining says the revised production start is currently under review and will be announced promptly once determined, and it is running the same review on how much the delay will cost the group in earnings, promising a swift update if the hit proves material. That leaves an open question on the calendar and a promise to watch.