Peru's production of copper, gold, silver, lead and molybdenum rose in January compared to a year ago, while zinc and tin output fell, the government said Tuesday.
Copper production soared 40.6% to 157,328 mt from 111,888 mt a year ago as higher output at Antamina, Glencore's Antapaccay, Chinalco's Toromocho and Hudbay Minerals' Constancia mines combined with the start-up of China Minmetals' $8.3 billion Las Bambas mine, the energy and mines ministry said in a statement.
Las Bambas, which began trial operations in December, produced 7,399 mt of copper in January, according to the ministry.
Silver production rose 8% to 333,086 kg from 308,479 kg a year ago on the start-up of Hochschild Mining's $420 million Inmaculada mine and output gains at Antamina and Buenaventura, the ministry said. Gold production rose 3.2% to 12,042 kg from 11,667 kg.
Lead climbed 1.8% to 25,872 mt from 25,421 mt, while molybdenum production rose 10.7% to 1,982 mt from 1,791 mt, the ministry said.
Zinc output dropped 10% to 102,250 mt from 113,439 mt on dwindling production at Antamina, while tin output at Minsur, the country's sole producer, fell 7.5% to 1,189 mt from 1,286 mt due to declining ore grades, the ministry said. Tungsten output was halted at the Pasto Bueno mine.
Minerals account for about 60% of Peru's total exports. Peru is the world's third-largest copper, zinc and tin producer, and is ranked No. 2 in silver and No. 5 in gold.
