2174 Three decades later, since 1990 we can see sustained growth in GDP per capita (increasing 7 times; from US$1,200 in 1990 to US$8,452 in 2024) according to the World Bank, supported by mining growth, in this case copper (increasing 8.6 times, from 0.32 million tons in 1990 to 2.74 million tons in 2024) according to the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MINEM, 2025). The political polarization during the general elections and change of government in 2000 increased social conflicts and greatly affected the continuity of the privatization process and the granting of service concessions to the private sector, which had become the main drivers of investment and modernization in the country. The Central Reserve Bank of Peru (BCRP), in its June 2017 report "Determinants of Social Conflicts in Mining Production Zones," mentions that social and environmental conflicts associated with mining projects in Peru have paralyzed US$18 billion in investment (10 percent of GDP) in recent years. Regarding copper, the suspension of major mining projects in Cajamarca (Michiquillay, Conga, La Granja), Piura (Río Blanco), Arequipa (Tía María), and others, has delayed the growth of copper production projected in the 1992 Annual Mining Reference Plan. This plan, which aimed to reach Chile's production levels within three decades, only achieved 50% of that target. One of the direct consequences of mining conflicts, including the "Conga No Va" conflict, is evident in the drop in gold production from 208 to 107 tons between 2005 and 2024, as reported by the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MINEM) (see Figure 3). This represents a 50% decrease in two decades, due to reduced production at Yanacocha, delays in the execution of the Conga mining project (gold and copper), which is currently suspended pending a more favorable social climate for mining investments, and other setbacks. The damage is twofold, coinciding with an increase in the price of gold. In other words, losses are not only incurred due to lower production, but also in missing out on the higher price of gold as an opportunity in the international market. Figure 3 – The Missed Gold Opportunity: Lower Production During the Gold Price Season 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Gold Price (US$/Oz) Gold Production (TMF) “Conga” Conflict Worrying drop in gold production “Tía María” Conflict Tambogrande - Quilish conflicts The season of high gold prices is being wasted
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