Gold production fell by 5.11% in March, with Yanacocha leading national production

National gold production fell year-on-year in March 2026, although it maintained a recovery compared to the previous month, according to the most recent Statistical Mining Bulletin from the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MINEM).

According to the official report, gold production reached 8,498,965 fine grams in March, a volume that represented a 14.51% increase compared to February. However, the result was 5.1% lower than the 8,959,432 fine grams reported in the same month of 2025.

With this performance, cumulative gold production during the first quarter of the year totaled 24,752,698 fine grams, a figure that reflects a 3.41% decline compared to the 25,614,670 fine grams produced between January and March of last year.

The Ministry of Energy and Mines attributed this trend primarily to the lower production output of Minera Boroo Misquichilca, whose production reached 1,060,986 fine ounces in March, representing a decrease of 18.51% compared to the same period in 2025.

Despite the decline in domestic production, Minera Yanacocha consolidated its position as the country's leading gold producer. The company accounted for 18.11% of the total volume mined in March, maintaining its lead in the national rankings.

Compañía Minera Poderosa ranked second, with a share of 7.9%, while Minera Aurífera Retamas came in third with a contribution of 4.7%.

Together, these three companies accounted for 30.71% of total domestic gold production, establishing themselves as the sector’s leading players during the third month of the year.

At the regional level, Cajamarca continued to lead the country in gold production, accounting for 27.01% of the national total. La Libertad ranked second with a contribution of 24.9%, while Arequipa ranked third with 22.1%.

Figures from MINEM show that these three regions accounted for 74.01% of national gold production, confirming their importance within Peru's gold industry.

The March results reflect a mixed scenario for the gold sector: while production showed a recovery compared to the previous month, it still faces challenges in regaining the levels reached in 2025. In this context, the performance of the main mining operations will continue to be a determining factor for the evolution of national production in the coming months.