The spike in global copper prices this year has led to a startling rise in the number of trucks carrying copper from illegal mines in Peru, clogging the country’s key “mining corridor” highway and creating hazardous conditions.
According to industry sources, trucks linked to artisanal and illegal mining operations have been crowding the essential 482-kilometer highway that major mining companies like MMG, Hudbay, and Glencore use to transport copper concentrate to the coast. The surge in informal mining activity has caused delays, stoppages, and a spate of accidents along the partially paved road.
Mines like MMG’s Las Bambas, Hudbay’s Constancia, and Glencore’s Antapaccay have reported that the number of trucks from these artisanal mining operations is matching or even exceeding their own. This is complicating logistics and creating hazardous conditions, especially at night when the informal miners try to avoid detection.
The Hudbay source said there were around 120 trucks daily from artisanal mining operations, some with permits and others operating illegally. These trucks are damaging the roadway, causing accidents, and contributing to pollution.
The booming illegal mining activity is a direct result of surging copper demand globally as the world transitions to electric vehicles and clean energy technologies. However, the influx of informal miners has created a snarl of trucks that is hampering the efforts of major mining companies to ramp up production and bolster Peru’s economy.
The Peruvian government has tried to regulate the artisanal mining sector by tightening permitting, but the small-scale copper and gold miners have pushed back, complicating the authorities’ plans to overhaul the industry.