Peru

The Company’s operations are subject to applicable Peruvian environmental laws and regulations. The Peruvian government, through its Ministry of Energy and Mines (“MEM”) conducts annual audits of the Company’s Peruvian mining and metallurgical operations.  Through these environmental audits, matters related to environmental commitments, compliance with legal requirements, atmospheric emissions, and effluent monitoring are reviewed. The Company believes that it is in material compliance with applicable Peruvian environmental laws and regulations.

In the first quarter of 2007, with the completion of the Ilo smelter modernization, the Company completed a 10-year environmental program agreed to with the Peruvian government in 1997. This program applied to all of the Company’s Peruvian operations and contained 34 mitigation measures and projects necessary to (1) bring the existing operations into compliance with the environmental standards established by the MEM and (2) identify areas impacted by operations that were no longer active and needed to be reclaimed.

In 2003 the Peruvian congress published a new law announcing future closure and remediation obligations for the mining industry. In August 2006, in accordance with this law and its amendments the Company prepared and submitted to MEM a closure plan. The Company is awaiting MEM’s review of this plan.

In 2005 the Company added an estimated asset retirement obligation for its mining properties in Peru, as required by the Mine Closure Law, enacted in 2003 and regulated in 2005. In accordance with the law, a conceptual mine closure plan, without costs, was submitted to the Peruvian Ministry of Energy and Mines (“MEM”) in August 2006. According to regulations, the plan was subject to review by MEM for 45 days. After the MEM review the Company will have 90 days to prepare and resubmit the mine closure plan, including costs, which will then be subject to MEM approval and open to public discussion and comment in the area of the Company operations. The Company is still awaiting MEM’s initial review. However, as of December 31, 2007, the Company has made an estimated provision of $6.4 million for this liability in its financial statements, but believes that this estimate should be viewed with caution, pending final approval of the mine closure plan.

The closure cost recognized for this liability includes the estimated cost required at the Peruvian operations, based on the Company’s experience, and includes cost at the Ilo smelter, the tailing disposal, and dismantling the Toquepala and Cuajone concentrators, and the shops and auxiliary facilities. Based on this estimated cost, the Company recorded an additional asset retirement liability in 2005 of $5.2 million, which increased its previously recorded asset retirement liability to $11.2 million. This increased net property by $4.6 million.

For the Company’s Peruvian operations, environmental capital expenditures were $21.6 million, $161.0 million and $235.1 million in 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively. The Company expects to spend approximately $14.1 million for environmental capital expenditures in 2008.

Mexico

The Company’s operations are subject to applicable Mexican federal, state and municipal environmental laws, to Mexican official standards, and to regulations for the protection of the environment, including regulations relating to water supply, water quality, air quality, noise levels and hazardous and solid waste. Some of these laws and regulations are relevant to legal proceedings pertaining to the Company’s San Luis Potosi copper facilities.

The principal legislation applicable to the Company’s Mexican operations is the federal General Law of Ecological Balance and Environmental Protection, which is enforced by the Federal Bureau of Environmental Protection (“PROFEPA”). The PROFEPA monitors compliance with environmental legislation and enforces Mexican environmental laws, regulations and official standards.

PROFEPA may initiate administrative proceedings against companies that violate environmental laws, which in the most egregious cases may result in the temporary or permanent closing of non-complying facilities, the revocation of operating licenses and/or other sanctions or fines. Also, according to the Federal Criminal Code, the PROFEPA must inform corresponding authorities regarding environmental non-compliance.

Mexican environmental regulations have become increasingly stringent over the last decade, and this trend is likely to continue and has been influenced by the environmental treaty entered into by Mexico, United States and Canada in connection with NAFTA in February 1999. However, the Company’s management does not believe that continued compliance with the Environmental Law or Mexican State environmental laws will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, properties, results of operations, financial condition or prospects or will result in material capital expenditures.

Although the Company believes that all of its facilities are in material compliance with applicable environmental, mining and other laws and regulations, the Company cannot assure that future laws and regulations would not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, properties, results of operations, financial condition or prospects.  Due to the proximity of certain facilities of Minera Mexico to urban centers, the authorities may implement certain measures that may impact or restrain the operation of such facilities.

For the Company’s Mexican operations, environmental capital expenditures were $25.8 million, $5.3 million and $7.5 million in 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively. Approximately, $45.2 million has been budgeted for environmental capital expenditures in 2008. The Company has instituted extensive environmental conservation programs at its mining facilities in Peru and Mexico. The Company’s environmental programs include, among other things, water recovery systems to conserve water and minimize impact on nearby streams, reforestation programs to stabilize the surfaces of the tailings dams, and the implementation of scrubbing technology in the mines to reduce dust emissions.