Collaborative mining investment: key to sustainable development.

The National Society of Mining, Petroleum, and Energy (SNMPE) has recently proposed the need to accelerate investment in copper mining projects in the country, suggesting the adoption of a collaborative model that allows for minimizing environmental impact, increasing financial robustness, and generating a greater socio-economic impact. According to the president of the SNMPE, this strategy would not only benefit the mining sector but also significantly contribute to addressing the national challenge of combating poverty. Currently, Peru has a portfolio of mining projects that exceeds US$50 billion in investment, with over 70% of these projects related to copper extraction. These projects stand out for their long lifespan, which would allow the country to have a more solid long-term fiscal planning. Additionally, being of large scale, these projects generate economic and logistical corridors that integrate territories from the highlands to coastal exporting zones, boosting regional and national development. In the geographical distribution of copper projects, two interregional clusters are identified: the northern cluster, which includes regions such as Cajamarca, Lambayeque, and La Libertad; and the southern cluster, which includes Apurímac, Arequipa, and Moquegua. The implementation of these projects would position Peru at a level of annual production similar to that of Chile, consolidating its position as one of the main copper producers worldwide. Despite the relevance of these projects, their development is currently approached individually, which implies the creation of specific infrastructures for each of them. However, the SNMPE's proposal suggests the implementation of a collaborative model that allows for sharing infrastructures, minimizing environmental impacts, and strengthening the financial viability of projects through economies of scale. In this sense, it is important to consider alternatives such as the use of pipelines or railway systems for mineral transportation, as well as the need to synchronize the development of copper projects with investment in port facilities to facilitate the export of mining products. Furthermore, there is a proposal to review the distribution system of the mining canon, aiming to promote a more equitable development along the country's economic corridors. In conclusion, the SNMPE's proposal invites a paradigm shift in the way mining investment is approached in the country, promoting collaboration between public and private actors to accelerate the valorization of mineral resources in a sustainable and beneficial manner for national development. The adoption of this collaborative approach could represent an important step towards consolidating Peru as a reference in the global mining industry.