Environmental protests are brewing in Peru

The Peruvian government will have to deal with a large number of mining-related protests in 2018 due to the country's environmental distortions.

Earlier in October, the Ministry of the Environment (MINAM) updated the list of mining projects requiring an environmental assessment prior to mining to exclude projects located in indigenous territories. According to activists, all projects in these areas of the indigenous population should automatically require an environmental assessment. Thus, the MINAM list created confusion to which the government did not respond.

A Latin American analyst says the northern regions of Peru will be the focus of conflicts, especially because of the long-term problems that could affect the Barrick and Antamina regions.

Antamina is owned by BHP Billiton, Glencore, Teck and Mitsubishi, and contracts are due to expire in July and August 2018, and experts say social unrest could emerge as a result of new wage negotiations.

Although violent conflicts have erupted since early 2010, following Barrick's announcement of the closure of the Pirina mine, the world's No. 1 gold producer faced communities demanding more water restoration.