Alert from the SNMPE: Port infrastructure in northern Peru is crucial for mining projects

The National Society of Mining, Petroleum, and Energy (SNMPE) has warned about the lack of port infrastructure in the northern region of Peru as a crucial issue that must be addressed in the sectorial agenda. The president of SNMPE, Víctor Gobitz, has emphasized that this lack of public infrastructure could lead to delays in the execution of important mining projects in the area, which in turn would impact the economy and the country's development. In a recent interview with El Comercio, Gobitz mentioned that after the restart of operations in the Tía María mining project, challenges are foreseen in projects like Zafranal in Arequipa and San Gabriel in Moquegua, which require adequate port infrastructure for their development. The absence of these facilities could create new obstacles and delays in the implementation of significant mining investments in the northern region of the country. The restart of Tía María in the Arequipa region has been highlighted by Gobitz as a positive step that will allow the construction of the Paltiture dam, with a capacity to store 80 million cubic meters of water. This infrastructure will not only improve water quality in the area but also boost agro-industrial production and generate economic benefits through increased copper production, tax payments, and job creation. Social conflicts specialist Iván Arenas has emphasized the importance of projects like Tía María for the economic reactivation and job creation. According to Arenas, mining has the potential to rapidly drive economic growth, benefiting thousands of workers in the construction and operation of these initiatives. Regarding Southern's strategy to address concerns from project opponents, social programs have been implemented and alliances with local productive sectors, such as farmers, have been established. However, concerns persist about pollution in the Tía María influence area, and the need to decontaminate the Tambo Valley through water treatments has been pointed out. Arenas has criticized the statements of the mayor of Islay, Richard Ale Cruz, accusing him of putting political interests before those of the community. Additionally, he has urged the State to coordinate effective strategies to mitigate social conflicts and promote a positive approach towards modern mining. In this regard, Gobitz has emphasized the importance of a coherent and unified action by the State, pointing out the need to address informal mining and control gold mining to ensure sustainable and responsible development in the sector. SNMPE has reiterated its call for a broad and participatory debate on these crucial issues for the future of the mining industry in the country.