Unionized workers at Peruvian copper mining company Sociedad Minera Cerro Verde SA (CVERDEC1.VL) started an indefinite strike Wednesday to seek higher pay, Luis Castillo, president of the National Mining Federation, said in a telephone interview.

Workers at Cerro Verde held a 48-hour strike last week to demand higher wages. The company said that work stoppage didn't affect production.

Cerro Verde is one of Peru's biggest copper miners. In the second quarter of this year, it turned out 170 million pounds of copper, compared to 166 million pounds in the same period last year.

Cerro Verde is majority-controlled by Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. (FCX) Compania de Minas Buenaventura SA (BVN, BUENAVC1.VL) and a subsidiary of Sumitomo Corp. (SSUMY, 8053.TO) also have stakes in the company.

Peru is the world's second biggest copper producer.

-By Robert Kozak, Dow Jones Newswires; 511-99927 7269; peru@dowjones.com

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