Peru is the world’s No.2 copper producer and sixth-largest gold producer.

Peru is on track to produce 2.5 million tonnes of copper this year, up slightly from last year’s 2.44 million tonnes, Francisco Ismodes said.

Copper production has surged 77% in the past four years.

“This has been our best year yet for copper production,” Ismodes said in a broadcast presentation at a mining event in southern Peru.