Protests at PERUMIN 37
On September 21, 2025, as the influential PERUMIN 37 mining convention opened in Arequipa, the long- standing “Agro sí, mina no” movement announced new demonstrations against the Tía María copper project. Farmers, local leaders, and environmental groups mobilized around the argument that mining in the fertile Tambo Valley endangers agriculture, which remains the region’s economic backbone. The protests were timed to coincide with the visibility of the mining industry’s premier showcase, underscoring the depth of local resistance.
Concerns Over Water and Agriculture
Opponents of the US$1.8 billion project stress that water availability and quality are at the center of the conflict. The Tambo Valley supplies irrigation to thousands of hectares of crops, and communities argue that copper extraction risks contaminating or reducing the resource. For farmers, the issue is existential: while mining may bring fiscal revenues and jobs, agriculture sustains livelihoods across generations. The protest movement has framed the conflict as one of incompatible futures — food security versus mineral extraction.
Implications for Peru’s Mining Agenda
The renewed mobilization illustrates the fragile social license to operate that continues to surround Tía María, despite permits advancing and government support. For Southern Perú Copper, the convention was meant to highlight investment and growth, but the protests highlight persistent mistrust and the unresolved challenge of reconciling local development priorities with national mining ambitions. The events in Arequipa signal that even as Peru seeks to boost copper output for the global energy transition, its ability to deliver depends on finding durable agreements with communities whose water and land remain at stake.