• The largest project of that kind is La Zanja, which involves an investment of US$ 114 million and the setting up of 636 drilling platforms

Cajamarca positions itself as the region with the largest cumulative investment in mining projects at exploration phase, concentrating about US$ 124 million and three projects, according to the portfolio of mining exploration projects assembled and updated by the Ministry of Energy and Mines.

This was announced by Vice-Minister of Mines at MINEM Jaime Chávez Riva during the event Rumbo a PERUMIN - Northern Macroregion, which focused on the regions of Tumbes, Cajamarca, Piura, La Libertad, and Lambayeque, and whose slogan is “Competitiveness and Sustainability, A Task for All of Us.”

In this sense, he remarked that Cajamarca has the brownfield projects La Zanja, Colorado, and Algamarca, operated by Compañía de Minas Buenaventura, Newmont Yanacocha, and Pan American Silver, respectively, and focused on looking for gold ore.

About the progress made, he stated that La Zanja has set up 636 drilling platforms and has a semi-detailed environmental impact study; Colorado, 461 drilling platforms and a semi-detailed environmental impact study; and Algamarca, 20 platforms and an environmental fact sheet.

“It is worth noting that La Zanja has reported an environmental management instrument currently being assessed by the Directorate-General of Mining Environmental Affairs; Colorado, an environmental management instrument already approved; and Algamarca, a preliminary  prior consultation completed,” he pointed out.

Mining Exploration in Piura

On the other hand, Jaime Chávez Rivas commented that Piura is the region with the second largest investment in mining exploration projects in the northern macroregion, with US$ 38 million and five exploration projects, according to the aforementioned project portfolio.

He explained that the projects in question were La Paccha, Llaguén, Chorobal, Sitabamba, and El Dorado, which are operated by Compañía Minera Caravelí, Hudbay Perú, Nexa Resources, Minera Aurífera Retamas, and Mochica Resources, respectively. Three of them are gold projects and two of them are copper.

Additionally, La Paccha has reported 22,740 meters drilled and a semi-detailed EIA; El Dorado, 40 platforms and an environmental impact statement (EIS); Llaguén, 35 platforms and an EIS; Sitabamba, 20 platforms and an environmental fact sheet (EFS); and Chorobal, 12 platforms and an EFS.

“Llaguén and Sitabamba are currently conducting exploration activities; Chorobal has been authorized to initiate its activities; and La Paccha and El Dorado have reported environmental management instruments under assessment by the Directorate-General of Mining Environmental Affairs,” he said.

Mining Concession Applications

Finally, the vice-minister of Mines at MINEM asserted that, when it comes to the northern macroregion, La Libertad has submitted 575 mining concession applications in 2022; followed by Cajamarca, with 354 applications; Piura, with 192 applications; Lambayeque, with 54 applications; and Tumbes, with 7 applications.

“Based on statistics of the Geological, Mining and Metallurgical Institute (INGEMMET), Peru received 6,826 mining concession applications in 2022, 17% of which are related to areas located in the northern macroregion, which comprises Cajamarca, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Piura, and Tumbes,” he specified.

It is important to highlight the fact that mining concession applications are requests for being granted mining concessions to hold mining rights over the mineral substances found in a specific area of our national territory and/or maritime domain, an area defined by UTM geographic coordinates.

Rumbo a PERUMIN

Rumbo a PERUMIN is an initiative of the Peruvian Institute of Mining Engineers (IIMP) and the Executive Committee of PERUMIN 36. It involves an agenda of virtual activities that seek to create spaces for analysis, knowledge and debate on mining.