Peru’s environmental regulator has identified 58 mining units with tailings facilities exposed to risks associated with El Niño across 14 regions.
The Environmental Assessment and Enforcement Agency of Peru (OEFA) says intense rainfall could affect the stability of containment structures through overflowing storage facilities or changes in geotechnical conditions, according to Peruvian business newspaper Gestión.
Heavy rainfall could also carry metals from tailings into surface water, groundwater, and soil, potentially affecting aquatic ecosystems and water sources used for human consumption and agriculture.
The identified mining units are spread across La Libertad, Cajamarca, Áncash, Lima, Huánuco, Pasco, Junín, Huancavelica, Ica, Ayacucho, Apurímac, Puno, Arequipa, and Moquegua.
OEFA has requested information from operators covering their contingency plans and measures to prevent or mitigate the risks. The regulator plans to inspect critical infrastructure, monitor the facilities, and review tailings inspection reports.
Neither OEFA nor Gestión identified the individual mining units or their operators.
Peru’s latest official forecast maintains an El Niño Coastal alert and projects the event will remain at an extraordinary magnitude until February 2027.
Rainfall from November 2026 to January 2027 is expected to remain above normal along parts of the coast and western highlands, with some episodes reaching moderate to strong intensity.
The risk assessment comes as Peru seeks additional foreign investment in its mining industry. The country recently promoted $92 billion in investment opportunities and deeper commercial ties with Australia at the International Mining and Resources Conference, as reported by Mining.com.au.
Write to France Pinzon at Mining.com.au
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