Peruvian export volumes of copper, gold, zinc, tin and molybdenum gained in February, while silver and lead shipments fell, the government said Monday.
Total metals export revenue jumped 59.8% from a year earlier to $2.23 billion in February, the central bank said in a statement posted on its website.
Copper shipments gained 44.2% to 231,300 mt a year earlier, while export revenue doubled to $1.19 billion and prices increased by 40% to $2.34/lb from $1.67/lb, the bank said. Freeport-McMoRan, China Minmetals, Chinalco and Hudbay Minerals all ramped up output at their Peruvian copper mines.
Gold exports increased by 16.8% to 476,000 oz a year ago, while export revenue rose 20% to $588 million and prices climbed 3% to $1,234/oz, the bank said. Hochschild Mining and Tahoe Resources both boosted production at mines brought online over the past two years.
Zinc shipments rose 35.3% to 115,000 mt a year earlier while revenue doubled to $194 million, according to the bank. Tin shipments from Minsur's San Rafael mine gained 6.7% to 1,400 mt, while revenue rose 40.7% to $28 million. Molybdenum shipments rose 39.6% to 1,800 mt, while export revenue doubled to $24 million, the bank said. Prices rose for all three metals.
Lead shipments fell 21% to 77,400 mt, while export revenues slid 3.5% to $155 million, offsetting a 22% increase in price, the bank said. Silver shipments halved to 400,000 oz, while export revenue declined 40% to $7 million.
Peru is the world's second-largest copper and silver producer, third-ranked in zinc and tin and No. 5 in gold.
