Mineral Industry of Peru

Mineral Industry Of Peru

In 2006, Peru occupied a leading position in the global production of the following mineral commodities: arsenic trioxide (fourth after China, Chile, and Morocco), bismuth (third after China and Mexico), copper (third after Chile and the United States), gold (fifth after South Africa, Australia, the United States, and China), lead (fourth after China, Australia, and the United States), molybdenum (fourth after the United States, China, and Chile), rhenium (fourth after Chile, Kazakhstan, and the United States), silver (first followed by Mexico and China), tin (third after China and Indonesia), and zinc (third after China and Australia). In Latin America, Peru was the first ranked producer of, in order of value, gold, silver, zinc, lead, tin, and tellurium and the second ranked producer of copper and molybdenum (after Chile), and bismuth (after Mexico).

In 2006, Peru’s economy benefited from high prices for mineral commodities. To date, the Government has privatized 220 state-owned firms via joint ventures and consortia in the mining and fuels industries. The firms have generated $9.2 billion, with an additional committed capital flow of about $11.4 billion, representing 17% and 21% of Peru’s GDP, respectively. Privatizations and concessions generated a committed investment of $6.9 billion (2006–2010) by mining companies such as Perú Copper Inc. for Toromocho copper project ($2.5 billion), Xstrata plc. for Las Bambas ($1 billion), Phelps Dodge for expansion of Cerro Verde copper mine ($850 million), Monterrico Metals Inc. for Rio Blanco base metals project ($800 million), Rio Tinto Limited for La Granja copper project ($700 million), Southern Copper Corporation for expansion of Ilo smelter ($400 million), Goldfields Ltd. for Cerro Corona copper-gold project ($350 million), and Companhia Vale do Rio Doce for the Bayovar phosphate project ($300 million). The Ministerio de Energía y Minas reported that of the committed investment in 2006, Peru received $1 billion for gas and $200 million for petroleum.

Petróleos del Perú (PETROPERU S.A.) was created on July 24, 1969 (law No.17753) as a state-owned entity, dedicated sequentially to transportation, refining, and commercialization of refined products and other derivatives of petroleum. The Peruvian Congress on June 2, 2004 (law No.28244) excluded PETROPERU S.A. from the privatization process and authorized its participation in the exploration and production of hydrocarbons. The state agency Perupetro S.A. was created on November 18, 1993 (law No. 26221) to be responsible for promoting investments for hydrocarbon exploration and production in the country. Perupetro negotiates, signs, and administers hydrocarbon contracts, for which PETROPERU must compete with private firms as well. In 2006, PETROPERU invested $4.5 billion in the hydrocarbon sector.