Peruvian marble upturn

2018 has been a good year for nonmetal mining. Marble exports totaled about US$ 11.5 million in 2018, achieving an increase of 24.8%, compared to 2017 (US$ 9.1 million), according to information from the Association of Exporters (Adex).

This growth is also expressed in the nearly 49 thousand jobs generated in the sector during 2018.

As for the countries to which the most shipments were made, the United States stands out, with US$ 4.6 million, rising 13.1% in relation to 2017, and accounting for 40.9% of total sales in 2018. It is followed by Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Chile, Canada, Curaçao, Costa Rica and Puerto Rico, among others.

Main products

Alabaster and travertine marble which has been carved or sawn with a flat or smooth surface were the goods most sent abroad, reaching US$ 11.1 million.  Exported products include tiles, moldings, mosaics, slabs, sinks, baseboards, among others.

Other alabaster and travertine marbles (atrium offices for religious temples, marble resin figures, marble chairs with wood and marble and brass lamps) totaled US$ 309,231, which meant a growth of 937.6% compared to 2017.

Mineral wealth

Peru is the top producer of gold, zinc, tin, lead and molybdenum in Latin America, thanks to the Andes Mountain Range that crosses our country and is the main source of mineral deposits in the world.

But that’s not all, Peru also stands out for industrial minerals (nonmetal) such as travertine marble, bentonite, borates and diatomite; in the latter we are the top producer in Latin America.

In terms of marble, the regions of Ayacucho, Huánuco, Huancavelica Junín and Lima are the places where we can most find this mineral that is used for interior decoration, in tiles, worktops and mosaics.

Details

Some of the companies that exported marble in 2018 are Gallos Marmolería S.A., Minera Deisi S.A.C., One Step Perú S.A.C., Padre Daniel Asociación de Artesanos, Serena Marble Stone S.A.C., Generación Huanca E.I.R.L., Pierinelli S.A.C., La Piedra Inca E.I.R.L., and Compañía Minera Agregados Calcáreos S.A., among others.

Sources: Adex/ Peru 21