The Minister of Energy and Mines, Jorge Luis Montero Cornejo, said that his sector is going to promote the large Peruvian mining projects, especially those of copper, because it is a national priority as it is a resource that has an unquestionable critical presence in the change of the global energy matrix.
Along these lines, he indicated that the administrative simplification, currently underway, will be reinforced for this objective, without this meaning lowering the guard regarding environmental and social issues.
“This also goes hand in hand with the reduction of times in bureaucracy,” he stressed in an interview with the Regional Communication Network (RCR).
Montero Cornejo pointed out that important mining projects in the country are underway, including Zafranal, Pampas del Pongo, Extension of Cerro Verde, Antamina and Quellaveco; and in Cajamarca there are large projects to be promoted such as Michiquillay, La Granja and Galeno.
The head of the Ministry of Energy and Mines (Minem in Spanish) considered that his proposal to create a Mining Fund for small-scale artisanal miners will allow channeling the various incentives for their formalization, in addition to being an instrument to reduce the paperwork that they face in all regions of the country.
“Fundamentally, we see it (the Mining Fund) as a vehicle for incentives for formalization. Incentives to access private financing sources, commercial incentives that allow small miners to complete a traceability that connects them with the transformation market,” he said.
Montero indicated that this model is being taken from the experiences of Chile and Colombia, because artisanal miners will be responsible for their own destiny because they will be made viable through a public-private institution, with minority participation of the State.
He also referred to the Law on the Closure of Mines, which he emphasized will be ready for regulation within 60 days.
“This aims to never again have environmental disasters in Peru like those we have in the Coralaque River that impacts the Tambo River, the Llallimayo River in Puno or the Moche River in La Libertad. That should not happen again,” he stressed.
Montero Cornejo also referred to the formulation of the National Multisectoral Mining Policy for 2050. “We are going to focus on providing the ministry with a work tool and for the companies a guide to understand where we are going with our mining,” he said.
Finally, the head of Minem said that the task of all political, business, union and sectoral forces is to sow in order to have a better Peru tomorrow.
“We are not yet in the harvest season, we are in the sowing season. We have to sow conditions for dialogue, cooperation, peace and security, in order to have a prosperous Peru tomorrow,” he said.
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(END) NDP/ MDV
Published: 12/19/2024