Julia Torreblanca assumed the presidency of the National Society of Mining, Petroleum and Energy (SNMPE) With a series of challenges in each of the sectors that groups the guild. In this interview, it addresses the needs of the mining sector.
What is the landscape of the mining sector in Peru?
It is very expectant. Mining is, without a doubt, one of the pillars of private investment and will continue to be. To get an idea of the relevance of the sector, only in the period from 2014 to 2023 the participation of mining companies in private investment reached 13%. In that period, the mining companies have represented 10.8% of the national GDP. In addition, in terms of collection, in the last 10 years the mining sector has contributed 20.8% of these resources. No doubt this is positive, but we have several challenges that we need to work.
What are those challenges you mention?
The first and the most critical is that of informal and illegal mining. This is a problem that generates serious economic, environmental and social impacts, in addition, that affects national and citizen security. Then there are regulatory challenges, because we have high levels of normative complexity, delays in obtaining permits, the lack of interconnection between public entities or delays in these interactions, and the existence of bureaucratic barriers. To boost our project portfolio, we need to find the magic formula to correct this problem.
What is needed to improve spending with the resources that come from the sector?
In my opinion, one of the big problems is that spending is not prioritized. For example, there are some subnational authorities who are thinking of building municipal stadiums and palaces when their population has no water or drainage, they do not have a good health system, or schools, or teachers. You need to prioritize spending to attend the most urgent and then spend on other projects. It is also necessary to empower the population to get involved in the participatory budget.
Is 2025 a good year for the mining sector?
It should be a good year as long as we manage to correct the barriers we have talked about and that more investment is promoted. We have a portfolio of projects of more than US $ 50,000 million that is pending to materialize, and one of the things that is sought is not only political stability, but a predictable legal framework to attract and maintain investments in the mining sector. It is very important that the Government and the State institutions work together to establish clear and stable rules that foster investor confidence and also ensure the continuity of all mining projects in the country.
Today there is a new ancestral mining speech to justify the illegal operation. What is your opinion?
The General Mining Law does not contemplate the term “ancestral mining”, but it does recognize illegal mining. In addition, it establishes categories, such as small mining and artisanal mining. We respect and value the work of the artisanal and small miner. However, we consider that illegal miners, as well as those who use the reinfor as a shield, must adjust and comply with the established regulations. The reiminge simplified the requirements so that those who illegally exploit the country’s resources can advance in their formalization. While a six -month extension has been granted so that these miners can formalize, the process can be done in two or three weeks.
What is your opinion on the new Mining Formalization Law (MAPE)?
We believe there is an opportunity to review the proposals that are being made. Through the SNMPE we will send our comments.
The new MAPE law must consider the complexity of illegal mining and assume the challenge that the reinfill will leave after its expiration on June 30. This implies that the State must strengthen the supervision, control, coordination and execution of mining formalization policies in an integral way. It will be essential to implement an adequate inspection, and this law should incorporate a regime that guarantees continuous physical and operational accompaniment by national authorities, such as OEFA, Osinergmin, Sunafil and Senace.
In addition, the inclusion of the term “idle concessions” in the proposal must be reviewed, since it does not represent the main cause of illegal mining.
What has been proposed in the SNMPE?
As a SNMPE directive we seek to strengthen the mining-energy guild, considering the importance it has for the country. We want to promote mining exploration, promote rare land and mineral exploration, achieve better use of resources generated by mining and, hopefully, close social gaps. We recognize that this is a job that we must do hand in our authorities.
DATA
One of the main challenges of the energy sectorin the field of hydrocarbons, it is promoted and the 2050 energy policy that the Minem is promoted and reviewed.
According to TorreblancaIt is necessary to recognize the importance of hydrocarbons in the country’s energy development, highlighting that Peru has abundant natural gas.
The SNMPE expects that initiatives to bring natural gas to other localities of the country can be materialized.
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