Adán Pino: “Certainty Is Key to Attracting Long-Term Investment”
The President of proEXPLO 2026 underscores the need to streamline permitting, strengthen relationships with communities, and promote the discovery of new deposits to ensure sustainable mining development.
Lima, January 19, 2026.– In a global context where competition for capital for mineral exploration is increasingly intense, regulatory and permitting certainty has become a decisive factor in attracting sustainable investment, said Adán Pino, President of the 15th International Congress of Prospectors and Explorers (proEXPLO) 2026.
The executive noted that beyond timelines, what investors seek is clarity and a clearly defined outlook.
“Even though permitting timelines are lengthy, what matters is certainty. I am absolutely certain that my permit will be issued in two or three years,” he said in an interview with Nueva Minería y Energía magazine of Chile.
Pino explained that this predictability is essential for exploration and mining development projects that require long-term capital commitments.
“For any investor, it is not only about building a mine, but about having the certainty that an investment of US$2 or US$3 billion will be sustained over the next 10, 15, or 20 years,” he stated, highlighting that Peru offers favorable conditions in this regard.
The proEXPLO 2026 spokesperson acknowledged that the permitting process has become more complex over the years due to the involvement of multiple government entities.
“Today, several ministries and authorities are involved, each with its own objectives, and this has caused a process that once took six to eight months to now take two or three years,” he explained. Nevertheless, he highlighted efforts to streamline procedures through initiatives such as the Ventanilla Única, aimed at improving the country’s competitiveness relative to other mining investment destinations.
A Resource Without a Social License Is Worth Zero
The geologist engineer warned that regulatory certainty must be accompanied by effective social management. He explained that the social license for exploration is the true entry point for the mining industry, adding that without early and empathetic engagement with communities, even high-value mineral discoveries lose viability.
“If there is no social license, the mineral resource loses its value. With it, mining activity can be developed responsibly, sustainably, and with a positive impact on the surrounding environment (…) I may have a discovery worth many billions of dollars, but if that mineral resource remains underground and I do not have a social license, its value is zero, it is worth nothing,” he warned.
Finally, Pino emphasized that proEXPLO 2026, to be held from May 4 to 6 in Lima and organized by the Peruvian Institute of Mining Engineers (IIMP), will be a key platform to address these challenges. “Our objective is to promote discovery for a sustainable future by providing knowledge, new technologies, and solutions to the current challenges of exploration,” he concluded.