Peru’s mining shipments by value fell by 49.4pc in August this year on an annual basis, due to lower demand for copper, iron ore and zinc, from China, the US, and Japan.
The South American country exported $442.2mn worth of copper in August this year, down 66.8pc from $1.3bn worth of the metal shipped in the same month last year, the National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (Inei) said in a statement without disclosing the volumes. Peru exported 66.5pc of its copper to China in August.
Zinc shipments declined by 30.8pc to $173.4mn in August from $250.6mn in August 2019, while iron ore exports fell by 50.6pc to $42.2mn from $85.4mn during the same period.
Lead exports, on the other hand, rose by 73.8pc to $197.1mn in August, from $113.4mn in the same prior-year period, Inei noted.
Peru’s mining industry exports mainly to China, South Korea, Japan, Italy, Spain, the US, Brazil, and Chile.
The mining industry is one of the most important economic activities in Peru, representing around 9pc of GDP and 60pc of the country’s exports. Copper and gold are the most important metals exported by value.