The Ministry of Energy and Mines (MINEM) has authorized the total temporary closure of the mine Polimetálicos Castellanos-Santa Lucía, located in the municipality of Minas de Matahambre, north of Pinar del Río, as reported by the state media Radio Guamá. The measure, formalized through published in the Official Gazette, affects the mixed company Minera del Caribe S.A. (EMINCAR) and will be in effect until January 30, 2027.
"The decision is due to external factors caused by the U.S. government's blockade policy against Cuba (...) In recent months, several foreign companies have chosen to reduce or halt their operations in Cuba due to fears of possible U.S. sanctions, as the government has intensified its economic, commercial, and financial blockade against the Island," the official press reported.
The resolution attributes the halt to external factors related to "logistics, exports, and the energy deficit that prevent the continued exploitation of the deposit and processing of the minerals," according to the official text. The closure extends for four months, during which EMINCAR must implement a maintenance and safety program in accordance with Law 76 on Mining.
Castellanos is one of the most significant foreign investment projects in the Cuban mining sector. The joint venture was established in 2016 between the state-owned Geominera S.A., which holds a 51% stake, and the group Trafigura, a Dutch company based in Singapore, holding the remaining 49%, with an estimated investment of between 235 and 300 million dollars. The mine has the capacity to produce approximately 100,000 tons annually of zinc concentrate and 50,000 tons of lead concentrate, with all volumes destined for the Chinese market.
The immediate trigger for the operational collapse was the decision by Trafigura to suspend shipments of Cuban zinc to China last June, citing pressure from U.S. sanctions. The company then stated that it would continue to supply its customers "in compliance with applicable sanctions." Weeks later, on June 23, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) included Geominera S.A. on its list of Specially Designated Nationals under Executive Order 14404, blocking its assets under U.S. jurisdiction.
Since May 2026, successive rounds of U.S. sanctions have shaken the Cuban mining sector: the Canadian Sherritt International suspended its direct participation in Cuba following the sanctions against Moa Nickel S.A. in May, and the Australian Antilles Gold drastically reduced its operations after OFAC sanctioned Minera La Victoria S.A. in June. In August, a new round of measures included Geominsal, Metalcuba, and the Nickel Company Comandante Ernesto Che Guevara.
External pressure is compounded by a structural energy crisis that worsens the situation. Cuba produces only about 40,000 barrels of oil daily, while the demand is 100,000, and the electrical deficit exceeded 1,700 MW in October 2026, with blackouts exceeding 20 hours per day in several provinces.
In parallel with the closure of Castellanos, the MINEM extinguished through Resolution 52 of 2026 the geological research concession granted to the Geominera Pinar del Río Company in the area known as Arcilla Malcasado, located in the municipality of Pinar del Río, declaring the area available for new mining applications.
The only recent relief in the sector came on October 21, when the U.S. exceptionally authorized the shipment of fuel to Sherritt's Moa facilities, although it has not yet authorized the restart of nickel and cobalt production.
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