Nexa Resources suspends Cajamarquilla zinc smelter after fire

Nexa Resources S.A. has suspended operations at its Cajamarquilla zinc smelter in Peru following a fire on the morning of May 13, 2026. The blaze, which has been contained, injured one employee and three contractors, all of whom are in stable condition; no fatalities were reported. Personnel were evacuated from affected areas with the support of the company's internal emergency response teams, and the incident caused damage to portions of the smelter infrastructure.

Based on currently available information, Nexa does not anticipate a material impact from the incident, and the cause remains under investigation. The company is coordinating with relevant authorities and assessing the timeline for resuming operations. Cajamarquilla, located in Lima, Peru, is described as the largest zinc smelter in the Americas and a globally significant facility; Nexa accounts for 4% of the world's zinc production capacity, with Cajamarquilla contributing 2%.

Nexa operates five polymetallic mines across Peru and Brazil and three zinc smelters in the two countries. The wholly owned Cajamarquilla smelter, which began operating in 1981, uses Roast-Leach-Electrowinning technology and has a nominal capacity of 344,400 tonnes of contained zinc per year. It produced 345,300 tonnes of saleable zinc metal in 2025 and 334,100 tonnes in 2024.