The global boom in critical minerals—particularly copper and lithium—is reshaping Peru’s role in international markets. As the clean energy transition accelerates, Latin America has emerged as a strategic hub for essential metals, and Peru is at the forefront. In 2024, the country attracted foreign direct investment (FDI) totaling USD 6.8 billion, a 57% increase from the previous year and far exceeding the regional average of 7.1%, according to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). This surge underscores Peru’s growing importance in supplying minerals vital to the global energy transition.
Copper and lithium have become magnets for investment. Peru holds 10.2% of the world’s copper reserves and is advancing new lithium and molybdenum projects. Mining already accounts for more than half of the country’s exports, with four metals—copper, gold, zinc, and lead—contributing 56% of export value. Copper alone makes up one-third of total shipments abroad. Between January and May 2025, mining investment rose to USD 1.85 billion (+4.7% year-on-year), while mining exports reached USD 13.7 billion (+27.3%). With a portfolio of 67 active projects valued at over USD 64 billion, the sector could double its output in the coming years—provided that permitting processes are streamlined and investment bottlenecks resolved.
This momentum presents a strategic opportunity for Peru to drive inclusive and sustainable development. ECLAC highlights the potential of this capital wave to promote social progress and productive diversification, while the Inter-American Development Bank estimates that every dollar of mining-related FDI could generate up to USD 187 in broader local economic activity. Yet, significant hurdles remain: bureaucratic red tape, slow permitting, and low public investment execution—especially at the local level, where S/ 3.86 billion in mining revenues went unspent in 2024. To convert mineral wealth into tangible development, Peru must strengthen institutional capacity, foster long-term regulatory certainty, and connect mining investment to local value chains. Building social license to operate will be essential—ensuring that communities see real, lasting benefits and that mining becomes a catalyst not just for exports, but for equity, trust, and sustainable national progress.