The Tia Maria copper mine, a project that is being developed near Arequipa, in Peru, might currently be one of the industry’s most expensive and ambitious projects, but that didn’t stop the protesters from showing their dissatisfaction in the last years.

The project has been halted since 2011, but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel for the Arizona-based mining company Southern Copper. The work at the mine might restart in January of 2014 and this means production could kick-off as soon as March.

For now, Southern Cooper is expected to deliver an environmental impact assessment that will be evaluated by Peru’s Ministry of Energy and Mines. In the meantime, check our latest infographic and learn more about the numbers that make Tia Maria. All mining operation need pulverizers and rock crushers.