Walter Tejada: Peru must modernize its geoscientific base and streamline permitting to attract exploration investment
The past president of proEXPLO highlights that speeding up processes, investing in geoscientific information, and combating illegal mining are key pillars to maintaining the country’s mining competitiveness.
Lima, March, 24, 2026. Peru’s mining sector faces challenges that could limit its position as an attractive destination for investment. This was highlighted by Walter Tejada, past president of proEXPLO, who emphasized the urgent need to optimize the permitting system and strengthen the enabling conditions for the sector’s development.
“Without a doubt, early-stage exploration permits in Peru are quite complex and far exceed international average timelines,” he stated in an interview with the Peruvian Institute of Mining Engineers (IIMP). In this regard, he noted that this gap directly impacts the country’s competitiveness, considering that exploration investment is highly sensitive to timing.
Tejada stressed that the solution does not lie in relaxing environmental or social standards, but in improving system efficiency. “Streamlining the process means having a permitting framework that is aligned with the minimal or low impact of the activity,” he explained.
Among the proposals outlined, he highlighted the need to expand the scope of instruments such as the Environmental Technical Form (FTA), allow the simultaneous processing of permits, apply positive administrative silence, and move forward with the implementation of a one-stop shop. “That would greatly help achieve the agility in permitting that our industry so urgently needs,” he added.
Modernizing geoscientific information
The specialist noted that, in addition to streamlining permits, Peru must focus on strengthening its geoscientific knowledge base. In this regard, he emphasized the importance of increased investment in updated geological information, as well as the development of key infrastructure such as a national core repository, specialized laboratories, and regional geophysical surveys.
“Mineral deposits are increasingly difficult to find, and we need baseline information that is precise, up-to-date, and reliable. It would be excellent for Peru to have a national drill core repository, a geochronology laboratory. We need more regional geophysical flights and 3D models of Peru’s subsurface,” he explained.
A platform for dialogue
In this context, proEXPLO 2026 once again opens its doors to the mining exploration community, consolidating its role as a strategic platform to address these challenges and generate proposals that drive the country’s competitiveness.
Tejada will participate in the event with a presentation titled “Inside Xplor: Three Years, Twenty One Companies, One View on Early Stage Exploration,” where he will share insights on the need to accelerate global mining exploration. He will also take part in a panel on illegal mining, alongside the High Commissioner for the Fight against Illegal Mining of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Rodolfo García; IPE economist Carlos Gallardo; and distinguished legal experts César Ipenza and Lucas Ghersi.
In its 15th edition, the International Congress of Prospectors and Explorers will bring together industry leaders, experts, and decision-makers to discuss innovation, sustainability, and the future of mining exploration. The event will take place from May 4 to 6, 2026, in Lima. Those interested can learn more and register through the congress’s official website: https://proexplo.com.pe/es