Reality and complexity of mining in Southern Peru

Patrice Baby, geologist (UMR GET) and Silvia Rosas, geologist engineer (PUCP) looked at the issue of sustainable mining in Peru. This is how the PSF MIGEDU (2022-2024), MIne and Sustainable Management, was born: a multidisciplinary training course intended for students and professionals in geological engineering, combining geology, environmental (bio)geochemistry, hydrology, sociology and economics.

Peru is a country dependent on its mining production, which represents almost 60% of its exports. It is the 2nd world producer of copper and zinc, 2nd world producer of gold and 3rd world producer of tin. This mining does not occur without disruption to the environment and society, and will increase with the growing demand for strategic measures to meet the needs of the energy transition. In this context, new generations of professionals will need to be able to manage the sustainable exploration and exploitation of georesources. MIGEDU was structured in the form of seminars and field workshops in order to address the complex reality of mining in the country, and to achieve the following objectives: Teach an integrated and reasoned multidisciplinary approach for the exploration and exploitation of georesources compatible with the principles of sustainability, aiming to limit and if possible avoid health, societal and environmental impacts. Structuring educational actions in the form of school workshops in order to better understand the complete cycle of georesources, from their generation to their sustainable management on an environmental and societal level.

Read more on the IRD website (in French).

Contact GET: Patrice Baby