Peru Launches “Mapa Aurífero 2025”

Context and Announcement On September 8, 2025, the Peruvian government officially launched the “Mapa Aurífero 2025”, a new technical instrument designed to identify, classify, and showcase the country’s most promising gold-bearing zones. The initiative reflects an effort to attract responsible investment in one of Peru’s most strategic resources, at a time when global demand for gold remains high both as a financial safe haven and as an input for advanced technologies. Authorities emphasized that the updated map incorporates geoscientific data, exploration history, and sustainability criteria to guide investors toward areas with real geological potential while discouraging activity in fragile or high-risk zones. Objectives and Strategic Importance The map aims to strengthen Peru’s competitive position as one of the world’s leading gold producers, while also promoting environmental and social responsibility in new projects. By providing greater transparency about the location and potential of gold deposits, the government seeks to reduce uncertainty for formal investors and to limit the space for illegal operators who have historically exploited regulatory loopholes. Officials highlighted that the “Mapa Aurífero 2025” is not only a technical tool but also a policy instrument: it will be used to support regional planning, facilitate dialogue with communities, and align investment with Peru’s broader sustainable-development goals. Implications for the Sector The release of the map arrives at a decisive moment for the Peruvian mining sector, which faces both opportunities and risks. On the one hand, new exploration projects based on reliable geological data could unlock billions in long-term investment and create employment in regions with high poverty rates. On the other hand, the expansion of gold activity must be carefully managed to prevent deforestation, water contamination, and social conflict, particularly in the Amazon basin and high-Andean territories. The “Mapa Aurífero 2025” is thus being framed as a cornerstone of a new model: one in which mining growth is compatible with community well-being, environmental stewardship, and the international demand for responsibly sourced minerals.