Peru increased its iron production by 114pc and copper by 14pc during the first half of 2021 compared to the same period a year ago, the National Society of Mining, Oil, and Energy reported today in its monthly statistical bulletin.
Between January and June this year, Peruvian copper mines produced 6.04mn mt compared to 2.83mn mt in H1 2020.
The increase in June 2021 was 185pc, to 1.12mn mt from 394,000mt in the last year’s sixth month, thanks to the Shougang and Shouxin mines returning to operations.
Copper production also grew in H1 2021, to 1.08mn mt from 949,217mt mined between January and June last year. Monthly production increased 1pc this June, to 182,705mt from 180,792mt in the same month a year ago, due to increased output from Chinalco and Antamina.
Zinc also jumped this year, up 53pc in the first half, to 792,629mt from 517,432mt in the same year-ago period. In June, production grew 9pc, to 130,705mt from 119,174mt in the sixth month of 2020.
In the first six months of this year, Peruvian lead production rose 25pc, to 130,242mt from 104,242mt in H1 2020. Meanwhile, in June, the increase was 4pc, to 21,574mt from 20,664mt in the same month one year ago.