What are you looking for?

• A panel moderated by María Julia Aybar analyzed the challenges of traceability in the face of illegal mining. Business leaders discussed the keys to streamlining project viability without compromising environmental standards.
  

Lima, May 27, 2026. The unblocking of projects and the urgency of accelerating the sector in the face of international demand were topics addressed during the block ‘Sustainability in the global energy transition: strategic implications and key decisions’, developed on the second day of the SIMPOSIO– XVI International Mining Meeting, an event organized by the National Society of Mining, Petroleum and Energy (SNMPE).

During the panel led by María Julia Aybar, Country Manager at Hunt Oil, business and public sector leaders agreed that the country’s main challenge is to gain operational speed without relaxing socio-environmental standards, through the use of new technologies and optimization of certification processes.

The president of the SNMPE Mining Sector Committee and vice president of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at Minsur, Gonzalo Quijandría, explained the success of the reuse plant in San Rafael, Puno, where they achieve that the final ingots contain 25% reuse material with water savings greater than 90%.

“Given the anticipated increase in demand, we must secure new deposits, enhance exploration efforts, and pursue responsible reserve development. If we are unable to ensure the traceability of copper and tin concentrates exiting Peru amidst the encroachment of illegal mining, we will encounter significant challenges,” Quijandría cautioned.

Additionally, Fabiola Sifuentes, President of the Environmental Affairs Committee of the SNMPE and Vice President of Environmental Planning and Strategy at Antamina, stated that the association has developed a document outlining 181 actions undertaken by mining companies to mitigate and adapt to climate change, underscoring the sector’s commitment.

“We must recognize that while sustainability may lead to an initial increase in capital expenditures (CAPEX), it ultimately reduces operational expenditures (OPEX) in the medium term. The success formulas from 25 years ago are no longer adequate. Today, we are exploring technologies such as the integrated disposal of tailings and waste rock in a single location to minimize our operational footprint,” the specialist elaborated.

From the State’s perspective, the executive president of the National Service for Environmental Certification for Sustainable Investments (Senace), Silvia Cuba, stated that this entity has been implementing a modernization strategy to facilitate investments and overcome the perception of being part of bureaucratic obstacles.

Cuba indicated that 80% of the agency’s assessment workload pertains to mining. In response, they are developing a plan to integrate artificial intelligence into environmental certification processes, which will enhance study designs and significantly reduce assessment times. “The State faces the challenge of implementing comprehensive modernization that includes infrastructure and field presence to counter misinformation that fuels conflicts,” stated the official.

Additionally, Juan Ignacio Díaz, president and CEO of the International Copper Association (ICA), cautioned that the global market is projected to demand 42 million tons of copper by 2040, a volume equivalent to constructing two operations the size of Antamina annually.

Díaz emphasized that future resource scarcity will accelerate the pursuit of permanent technological substitutes in the automotive and electrical infrastructure sectors. Therefore, he urged the swift advancement of local projects to capitalize on the current window of opportunity presented by elevated prices.

“Copper competes with other materials and countries. The United States and Argentina are already implementing aggressive policies to unlock their mining sectors; Peru must respond promptly to secure its future position,” Díaz concluded.

Photos are available at the following link: https://flickr.com/photos/195630249@N08