Southern Copper works to burnish its reputation in Peru

On Thursday, Oscar González Rocha, the president of Southern Peru mining company told reporters covering the Perumin mining convention about his company’s decision to help finance the construction of three high schools located in Moquegua, Tacna, and Arequipa. Southern Peru’s reputation has taken a beating in Peru because of the violent protests over the Tía María copper mining project.

The conflict over Tía María is just one of a series of social conflicts in Peru that has undermined the mining sector’s contributions to Peru’s economic growth. In talking about how the mining industry can contribute to Peru’s development, González Rocha said that, “There has to be a bigger relationship between the company and the government to invest above all in the health and education sectors.”

On the subject of Peru’s famous social conflicts, ex minister of Energy and Mines Jorge Merino believes that the government is to blame for the miscommunication at the heart of the country’s recent social conflicts. According to ex minister Merino, the mining industry has no trouble coexisting with the agricultural industry, and could actually benefit it, so it’s simply a matter of getting this message out.

Mining could help not just the Peruvian agricultural industry, but also help combat poverty in the country. According to Peruvian Central Reserve Bank President Julio Velarde, mining will contribute 8 points of GDP growth in the next decade, giving the government more revenue and reducing poverty.