Cajamarca is the region with the highest investment, with US$ 16.298 billion. In view of this, the regional governor of Lambayeque proposed the creation of a mining corridor.

At the recent Heading to PERUMIN event entitled "Opportunities for the Comprehensive Development of Cajamarca," Miguel Cardozo, former director of the Peruvian Institute of Mining Engineers (IIMP) and president of Alturas Minerals, highlighted that northern Peru has a project portfolio valued at US$ 23.594 billion, making it the region with the highest investment in the country. In contrast, the south has US$ 17.096 billion, while the center has US$ 2.951 billion.

During his presentation, Cardozo detailed that Cajamarca alone has US$ 16.298 billion in projects, followed by Piura with US$ 2.792 billion, Lambayeque with US$ 1.043 billion, La Libertad with US$ 1.364 billion, and Ancash with US$ 2.097 billion.

"The largest column represents the amount of investment that can be made in Cajamarca if we work well," commented the engineer.

A Mining Corridor

A project aimed at boosting investment in northern Peru is the proposal of a mining corridor that would cover 450 kilometers and connect six projects in Cajamarca. This corridor would lead to the future Eten maritime terminal in Lambayeque. The idea was presented by the regional governor of Lambayeque, Jorge Pérez Flores, in an exclusive interview as part of the IIMP's Mining Dialogues program.

"There is a route in the north that we could easily develop. We have the Michiquillay, Yanacocha, Galeno, Conga, Tantahuatay, and La Granja projects. In total, this corridor would be about 200 kilometers. From Chota to the Eten maritime terminal, it is 110 kilometers. If we build a bimodal route, with some paved sections and others with rail components, Cajamarca will have an efficient train not only for mining but also for community transportation," Pérez Flores explained.

The governor also mentioned that this proposal, which has been presented to members of the government and members of parliament, has the support of both parties. The project is expected to be carried out through a public-private partnership (PPP), an option being studied by the Minister of Transport and Communications, Raúl Pérez Reyes.

We would go from a problem to a solution, creating a mining corridor with a social component. It is a win-win situation because both Peru and Cajamarca will benefit. Moreover, with this project, it will not be necessary to use the natural resources of the mining area, but they will be transported to a place with less environmental impact," concluded the regional authority.