Gonzalo Tamayo, former Minister of Energy and Mines, presented a series of proposals for regulatory, management and public policy measures to strengthen the sustainability of the mining sector, within the framework of the first decentralized edition of Heading to PERUMIN, an event organized by the Peruvian Institute of Mining Engineers (IIMP).

These proposals are based on the Report of the Commission for Sustainable Mining Development, a document that includes a series of recommendations formulated in five central axes: social environment, environmental management, regulatory improvement, fiscal contribution and use of mining resources and informal mining.

Gonzalo Tamayo indicated that strengthening the sustainability of the mining sector involves two main objectives, which are: the strengthening of mining competitiveness and the development and well-being of the communities surrounding mining projects and operations, as well as the country as a whole.

One of the strategic recommendations he made, according to this report, is the implementation of a State policy for the mining sector, an economic activity that will be transcendental for the country’s economic reactivation. This should continue Rimay’s effort (Mining Vision 2030) and be formulated from a territorial development perspective.

“Our geological potential is among the best in the world, we occupy the main positions in production of minerals that are traded, but we do not have a State policy on the mining sector. The National Agreement has not been pronounced and there is no clear horizon as to what the State's policy towards this sector should be”, he said.

He also said that there must be a vision of territorial development that allows for a new approach aimed at meeting the needs and closing the gaps of all regions, and that promotes sustainable development, productive diversification, reduction of vulnerability to climate change and improvement of territorial governance .

"A very important element has to do with the traceability of the mining canon or the logic that there should be as much transparency as possible on how the government’s resources for mining originate and how they are transferred or executed and reach their objectives" he added.

The Macroconsult partner said that a new model is necessary to encourage mining explorations in our country. "From the environmental standpoint, there seems to have been a predominant point of view that relatively simple mining exploration processes with limited impact, which in other districts have simplified mechanisms, do not happen in the country." He acknowledged that Minem has made progress in this regard by heeding this recommendation.

Tamayo also pointed out that it is desirable to design and implement a new environmental assessment model, that is early, concurrent and collaborative. "There seems to be room for some more ongoing engagement between environmental activities with project developers," he said.

Other points included improving measures for environmental protection and restoration, public management reform, and greater attention to progress in informal mining issues.

The presentation was followed by a debate with the participation of the World Bank’s Latam Regional Coordinator for Extractive Industries, Javier Aguilar; the Vice Minister of Mines, Jorge Luis Montero; and the President of the IIMP, Víctor Gobitz.