Peru's production of most major metals rose October, while gold, iron ore and tin output declined, the government said.
Copper production jumped 32.3% in October to 158,855 mt from 120,114 mt a year-ago "as higher output at Antamina and Chinalco's Toromocho mines combined with the start-up of Hudbay Minerals' Constancia mine," the energy and mines ministry MEM said in a statement Wednesday.
Silver output rose 16.7% to 11.8 million oz on gains at Antamina and the start-up of Hochschild Mining's Inmaculada mine, while zinc and lead both saw production rise over 10% to 123,868 mt and 26,179 mt, respectively, the ministry said.
October molybdenum production gained 17% on year to 1,758 mt.
Peru's only iron ore miner, Shougang Hierro Peru, saw its production decline 25% in October to 497,247 mt due to a three-week workers strike, according to the ministry.
The country's gold output fell 13.3% to 375,631 oz from 432,981 oz a year ago, while that of tin at Minsur, the country's only producer, slid 6% to 1,696 mt due to declining ore grades.
From January to October, an increase in production was observed in all metals, except for tin. Thus, copper grew 18.08% (1.35 million mt); gold 0.84% (3.70 million oz), ; zinc 10.39% (1.88 million mt); silver, 7.04% (106.80 million oz); lead 14.28% (257,264 mt); and iron ore 0.83% (6.42 million mt).
Tin accumulated production dropped 14% to 16,079 mt.
"This sustained growth is due to the full operation of mining units, added to the productive recovery of others," said the ministry's general director Marcos Villegas. He also cited good prospects for the sector in the coming months. "And even more [production] the imminent start of operations of Las Bambas and Shahuindo," he said, referring to the large copper and gold mines expected to startup in 2016.
Minerals account for about 60% of Peru's total exports. Peru is the world's third-largest copper, zinc and tin producer and No. 5 in gold.
