What are you looking for?

• Diego Ortega, president of the country’s foremost mining conference, summarized three days of transformative discussions and cautioned that Peru’s historic opportunity is not assured; it will depend on the country’s prompt response to the evolving global landscape.

Lima, May 28, 2026. The president of the SIMPOSIO – XVI International Mining Meeting, Diego Ortega, argued that Peru must act with a greater sense of urgency to convert its mining potential into development, investment, and regional leadership, in an international context marked by the growing demand for critical minerals, artificial intelligence, the energy transition, and global competition for capital.

During his closing remarks at the mining meeting organized by the National Society of Mining, Petroleum and Energy (SNMPE), Ortega emphasized that this year’s edition sought to be more than a sectoral event: a space for ideas, priorities, actions, and especially decisions for the future of the Peruvian mining industry.

“The motto of this edition ‘Mining that integrates, builds the present, transforms the future’ could not remain just a narrative. It had to become an action agenda that contributes proposals to the development of the mining sector and the country”, he said.

He recalled that the meeting began with a central idea: the world is not facing just another mineral cycle, but a global transformation. Likewise, he specified that the mining conversation is no longer limited to extractive activity, but now incorporates geopolitics, artificial intelligence, energy security, value chains, and other factors. “The world is changing faster than our structures as a country are currently able to respond. And Peru has a historic opportunity, but it is not guaranteed”, he warned.

In this context, he noted that while companies are accelerating innovation and technological adaptation, the country must also expedite permit authorizations, enhance infrastructure, and strengthen institutions and public management capabilities.

The key points of the meeting
Among the topics that shaped the agenda, Ortega highlighted competitiveness as a race that has already begun, emphasizing that leadership will depend on the ability to execute effectively. He also called for a regional perspective on mining, noting that Latin America produces a significant portion of the world’s copper and can leverage this advantage for leadership if it acts in a coordinated and urgent manner.

He stressed that artificial intelligence has evolved from a mere tool into a new operating system, transforming how we produce, compete, and make decisions. Therefore, he indicated that the country must expedite permitting, infrastructure development, institutional frameworks, and public management capacity to solidify its position as an attractive investment destination compared to other mining locations.

The president of the SIMPOSIO also emphasized that the energy agenda has evolved: the focus is no longer solely on energy transition, but on energy security. This shift, he explained, reinforces the need to accelerate investments and expand the availability of critical minerals to sustain the global technological and productive transformation.

Another key focus was infrastructure. Ortega argued that without it, development is impossible. He stated that the country’s logistical challenges are not merely sectoral issues but national challenges that directly affect competitiveness, territorial integration, and the creation of opportunities.
He also emphasized that transformation cannot occur without talent. In this context, he pointed out that the mining sector’s transformation requires skilled individuals and the effective use of technology.

On the other hand, he pointed out that while the world demands more critical minerals, Peru also faces the enormous challenge of combating illegal activities that destroy ecosystems, generate violence, and weaken institutions. “We cannot tolerate any attempt to normalize illegal mining”, he emphasized.

He affirmed that Peru could offer the world minerals produced formally, responsibly, and to high standards. “Defending formal mining is defending decent employment, responsible investment, environmental standards, and real opportunities for millions of Peruvians”, he noted.

Finally, Ortega emphasized that defending formal mining means protecting decent jobs, responsible investment, environmental standards, and real opportunities. “Today we close the SIMPOSIO, but the important work begins tomorrow. We must move from talk to action”, he stressed.

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