Mining remains one of the pillars of Peru’s national economy and has established the country as a global mining powerhouse. However, the sector’s growth continues to be accompanied by social and environmental conflicts related to access to water, land use, and the protection of the rights of Indigenous and rural communities.
Denied Rights in Latin America.
Mining continues to be one of the main drivers of the Peruvian economy and has positioned the country among the world’s leading extractive powers. However, growth fueled by mineral exploitation continues to generate social and environmental tensions that have kept conflicts active across various Andean and Amazonian regions.
Mining Strengthens Peru’s Economy but Faces Growing Social and Environmental Challenges
Peru ranks among the world’s leading producers of strategic minerals such as silver, copper, and zinc, while also being one of Latin America’s top producers of gold, tin, and lead. Mining accounts for nearly one-tenth of the country’s Gross Domestic Product and remains a key source of revenue, investment, and employment.
The rise in international prices for several minerals has driven a new phase of expansion in the sector. However, while economic indicators remain positive, Indigenous and rural communities continue to question the impact that some extractive projects have had on their territories, water resources, and traditional ways of life.
Read: Violence Against Environmental Defenders in Peru Exposes a Protection Crisis in the Amazon
José De Echave, an economist specializing in mining issues, warned that for years Peru developed an institutional framework designed to facilitate investment, although in some cases this may have generated tensions with the protection of social and environmental rights.
“In Peru, very favorable rules have been created to attract investment, but at the same time they have gradually reduced the social rights of entire rural, peasant, and Indigenous populations,” the expert said.
Conflicts linked to mining remain one of the main concerns for authorities. Various official reports have identified disputes related to water access, potential environmental impacts, and the use of territories inhabited by rural and Indigenous communities.
According to specialists, many of these controversies stem from the perception that decisions regarding extractive projects have been made without sufficient participation from the populations that have historically occupied those territories.
“Communities tell the State and companies that these territories are not empty, and that there are rights that must be respected,” De Echave explained.
Prior Consultation Remains a Matter of Debate
One of the most debated issues is the implementation of prior consultation with Indigenous peoples, a mechanism recognized under Convention 169 of the International Labour Organization (ILO). Social and environmental organizations have insisted on strengthening participation processes to ensure that communities can play a meaningful role in decisions affecting their territories.
The discussion also focuses on protecting water sources, particularly in highland regions where agriculture depends directly on lakes, rivers, and aquifers located near mining operations. Various sectors argue that the challenge lies in balancing economic development with the preservation of essential resources for local communities.
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Adding to this situation is the growth of illegal mining, which experts consider one of the country’s greatest environmental threats. Unlike formal mining operations, these activities operate outside state controls and have expanded their presence in Amazonian regions.
Madre de Dios Among the Most Affected Regions
According to analysts and environmental organizations, illegal mineral extraction has been linked to deforestation, mercury contamination, and impacts on Indigenous communities.
“It is an activity that has grown alongside significant violence against nature and Amazonian Indigenous peoples,” De Echave stated.
Regions such as Madre de Dios are among the most affected by this phenomenon, which has led to the degradation of vast areas of rainforest and the disruption of strategic ecosystems. International organizations have also warned of increasing risks for environmental leaders and communities living in areas affected by illegal extractive economies.
Amid this scenario, Peru faces the challenge of maintaining the economic dynamism generated by mining while reducing social conflicts and ensuring the protection of community rights and the environment in the territories where these activities take place.
In the following video, we explain how mining drives Peru’s economy and why conflicts over water, land, and community rights continue to persist.
