Direct employment in Peru's mining sector grew by 11.1% in June compared to the same month last year, reaching a total of 291,044 jobs.
The figure marks a continuing upward trend for the industry, which serves as a key driver of the South American nation's economy.
Data released by the Ministry of Energy and Mines showed the sector added jobs steadily through the spring. May saw 287,537 direct roles, an increase of 9.4% on May 2025, while April recorded 282,520 jobs, up 9.9%.
Across the first half of the year, the average number of mining jobs was 6.4% higher than in the same period of 2025.
Arequipa leads job numbers
The jobs are not distributed evenly across the country. A significant portion are concentrated in regions hosting large-scale productive units and high levels of activity linked to specialized contractors and services.
The southern region of Arequipa led the country in June with 44,643 mining workers, making up 15.3% of the national total.
La Libertad followed with 24,813 roles, or 8.5%, while Ica recorded 24,535 workers, accounting for 8.4%. Together, the three regions provided nearly a third of all direct mining employment in Peru during the month.
Arequipa's share remained consistently high throughout the quarter. In May, the region accounted for 16.1% of the national mining workforce, while La Libertad held 8.6% and Ica 8.4%. In April, their respective shares were 15.9%, 8.8%, and 8.6%.
Contractors drive growth
The vast majority of the new jobs were created outside the direct payrolls of the mining companies themselves.
Mining contractors and related businesses involved in operations provided 72.8% of the sector's employment in June, with contractor roles surging by 15.3% year on year.
In contrast, employment generated directly by mining companies accounted for the remaining 27.2% and grew by just 1.3%.
This structure has remained stable in recent months. Contractors accounted for 73% of the workforce in May and 72.6% in April, leaving direct mining companies with shares of 27% and 27.4%.
Women remain minority
The gender gap in the industry remains wide. While the number of female employees is increasing, the ministry noted the growth is gradual and starts from a low base, meaning the overall jobs boom has not substantially changed the sector's gender composition.
June saw 24,055 women working in mining activities, representing 8.3% of the total direct workforce. Men held 266,989 roles, making up 91.7%.
Despite the disparity, female participation has risen steadily this year, up from 23,479 roles in May, or 8.2%, and 22,954 roles in April, which represented 8.1% of the workforce.
Investment pipeline
The employment boost comes against a backdrop of surging investment in Peruvian mining. Between January and May, executed sector investment exceeded US$2.633 billion, a 43.6% jump compared to the same period last year.
The ministry attributed the growth primarily to spending on infrastructure, exploration, and mining equipment.
Looking ahead, the government's July portfolio listed 66 mining projects across 19 departments, representing an estimated potential combined investment of US$64.075 billion across various stages of development.
The ministry said upcoming jobs data will be key to determining whether the employment growth can be sustained into the second half of the year, and how it tracks against the rapid pace of early-year investment.
