Peru's production of copper, gold, silver, lead and molybdenum rose in February, while zinc and tin output fell, the government said Friday.
Copper production jumped 70% to 169,114 mt, up from 99,721 mt the year-ago month. The rise reflected higher output at Freeport-McMoRan's Cerro Verde mine, Antamina, Chinalco's Toromocho, Hudbay Minerals' Constancia deposit and the startup of China Minmetals' Las Bambas mine, the Energy & Mines Ministry said in a statement.
Constancia produced 21,284 mt of copper in January-February, followed by Toromocho (21,176 mt) and Las Bambas (18,032 mt), the ministry said.
Silver production in February gained 24% to 367,984 kg, from 296,273 kg a year ago, on the startup of Hochschild Mining's Inmaculada mine, the ministry said.
Gold production rose 13.3% in February to 13,122 kg from 11,580 kg.
Lead climbed 4.4% to 25,276 mt from 24,221 mt, as Volcan, Raura and Votorantim Metais unit Milpo increased output, the ministry said.
Molybdenum production rose 6.3% to 1,578 mt from 1,485 mt, while cadmium output at Votorantim's Cajamarquilla refinery rose 7.4% to 58 mt from 54 mt.
Zinc output dropped 5.4% to 107,003 mt from 113,151 mt on dwindling production at Antamina, Volcan and Milpo, while tin output at Minsur, the country's sole producer, fell 8.4% to 1,488 mt from 1,625 mt due to declining ore grades, the ministry said.
Tungsten output halted at the Pasto Bueno mine.
