PERU MERCURY INVENTORY 2006 

By William E. Brooks,1 Esteban Sandoval,2 Miguel A. Yepez, 2 and Howell Howard2

Open File Report 2007–1252 

U.S. Department of the Interior 

U.S. Geological Survey 

 

1

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA 20192 

2

U.S. Embassy Lima, Peru 
U.S. Department of the Interior 

DIRK KEMPTHORNE, Secretary 

U.S. Geological Survey 

Mark D. Myers, Director 

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia 20192 

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World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod 

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its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment: 

World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov 

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Suggested citation: 

 Brooks, W.E., Sandoval, E., Yepez, M.A., Howell H., 2007, Peru mercury inventory 2006: 

U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2007-1252, 55 p.,

 available online at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1252/.

. 

Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply 

endorsement by the U.S. Government. 

Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual 

copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted material contained within this report. 

ii
Contents 

Abstract................................................................................................................................................................................ 1

Introduction......................................................................................................................................................................... 1

Ancient Use of Mercury.................................................................................................................................................... 2

Mercury in Coal .................................................................................................................................................................. 3

Geology and Mining........................................................................................................................................................... 4

Byproduct Production of Mercury .................................................................................................................................. 4

Mercury Uses in Peru........................................................................................................................................................ 6

Overview of Artisanal Gold Mining ............................................................................................................................. 6

Piura............................................................................................................................................................................ 11

La Libertad ................................................................................................................................................................. 11

Madre de Dios........................................................................................................................................................... 13

Puno ............................................................................................................................................................................ 16

Ananea.................................................................................................................................................................... 16

La Rinconada-Cerro Lunar de Oro..................................................................................................................... 17

Chlor-Alkali Production ................................................................................................................................................... 17

Dental Amalgam ............................................................................................................................................................... 17

Other Uses and Disposition of Imported Mercury-Containing Products............................................................... 18

Batteries......................................................................................................................................................................... 18

Electronics and Computers ........................................................................................................................................ 20

Fluorescent Lamps ....................................................................................................................................................... 20

Thermometers, Medical Equipment, and Vaccines ............................................................................................... 21

Prices.................................................................................................................................................................................. 22

Mercury Stocks ................................................................................................................................................................ 23

Other Mercury Releases and Uses............................................................................................................................... 23

Cremation....................................................................................................................................................................... 23

Fireworks........................................................................................................................................................................ 23

Laboratories .................................................................................................................................................................. 24

Landfills .......................................................................................................................................................................... 24

Neon lights..................................................................................................................................................................... 24

Paint ................................................................................................................................................................................ 24

Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................................................... 24

References Cited.............................................................................................................................................................. 25

Figures 

1. Security container with flasks of byproduct mercury before leaving Newmont Mining 

Corporation’s Yanacocha mine, northern Peru. (Photograph permission of Newmont 

Mining Corporation).. ........................................................................................................................................... 5 

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2. Unvented mercury retort for gold processing in a grocery store in Inambari, Madre de Dios, 

Peru. (Photograph by William E. Brooks).. ....................................................................................................... 7 

3. Sealable mercury retort at Mina Cabecera Santa Ynes, Huepethue, Madre de Dios, Peru. Tube 

on side helps to capture some of the volatized mercury fumes. (Photograph by William E. 

Brooks).. ................................................................................................................................................................. 8 

4A.) Mercury retort, with B) a chimney to vent mercury fumes outside, in a gold shop in 

Huepethue, Madre de Dios, Peru. (Photographs by William E. Brooks).. .................................................. 9 

5. Mercury reactivator for cleaning and recycling mercury by using electricity from a 12 volt 

battery. (Photograph by William E. Brooks)................................................................................................... 11 

6A.) Sluice and B) silvery, mercury-gold amalgam in gold pan (batea) in foreground at Mina 

Cabecera Santa Ynes, Huepethue, Madre de Dios, Peru. (Photographs by William E. 

Brooks).. ............................................................................................................................................................... 14 

7A) Gold immediately after being removed from the retort and B) gold after being burned 

(refogado) to remove any mercury and improve the aesthetic appearance of the gold, 

Mina Cabecera Santa Ynes, Huepethue, Madre de Dios, Peru. (Photographs by William E. 

Brooks).. ............................................................................................................................................................... 15 

8. Widely used “El Español” brand of recycled mercury. (Photograph by William E. Brooks).......................... 15 

9. Battery collection for recycling, an environmental project by students at Colegio Roosevelt, 

Lima, Peru in collaboration with Supermercados Wong, S.A., a major grocery chain and 

Teconec, S.A.C., an environmental consulting firm in Lima, Peru. (Photograph courtesy of 

Sarah Kemme, instructor, Colegio Roosevelt, Lima, Peru).. ....................................................................... 19 

10. Discarded fluorescent lamp on the street, Trujillo, Peru. (Photograph by William E. Brooks).. .................. 21 

11. Mercury thermometer bought in a drugstore in Lima, Peru. (Photograph by William E. Brooks)............... 21 

Tables (1-15) 

1. Salient Mercury Statistics.......................................................................................................................................... 30 

2. Imports and Exports of Mercury, by Country .......................................................................................................... 31 

3. Imports of Mercury by Country of Origin ................................................................................................................. 32 

4. Import Prices per Kilogram, 2004-2007..................................................................................................................... 33

5. Import Mercury Average Price 2004-2007............................................................................................................... 34

6. Exports of Mercury by Country of Destination........................................................................................................ 35

7. Imports of Fluorescent Lamps by Country............................................................................................................... 36

8. Imports of Fluorescent Lamps by Company ............................................................................................................ 37

9. Imports of Non-Electric Thermometers by Company ............................................................................................ 40

10. Imports of Batteries, Manganese Dioxide, Alkaline ............................................................................................ 44

11. Imports of Other Batteries, Manganese Dioxide, Alkaline................................................................................. 45

12. Imports of Other Batteries, Manganese Dioxide, Cylindrical ............................................................................ 46

13. Harmonized Tariff Codes for All Batteries............................................................................................................. 47

14. Imports of Batteries, Electrical................................................................................................................................ 49 

15. Imports of Batteries, Lithium, Cylindrical............................................................................................................... 50 

iv
Conversion Factors 

Multiply By To obtain 

centimeter (cm) 0.3937 inch (in.) 

gram (g) 0.03527 ounce, avoirdupois (oz) 

kilogram (kg) 2.204 pounds 

kilograms per year (kg/yr) 2.204 pounds per year 

kilometer (km) 0.6214 mile (mi) 

liter (L) 33.82 ounce, fluid (fl. oz) 

meter (m) 3.281 foot (ft) 

metric ton (t) 1.10231 short ton 

metric ton per year (t/yr) 1.102 ton per year (ton/yr) 

square kilometer (km2

) 247.1 acre 

Temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) may be converted to degrees Fahrenheit (°F) as follows: 

°F=(1.8×°C)+32 

v
PERU MERCURY INVENTORY 2006 

By William E. Brooks, Esteban Sandoval, Miguel A. Yepez, and Howell Howard 

Abstract 

In 2004, a specific need for data on mercury use in South America was indicated by the United 

Nations Environmental Programme-Chemicals (UNEP-Chemicals) at a workshop on regional mercury 

pollution that took place in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Mercury has long been mined and used in South 

America for artisanal gold mining and imported for chlor-alkali production, dental amalgam, and other 

uses. 

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provides information on domestic and international mercury 

production, trade, prices, sources, and recycling in its annual Minerals Yearbook mercury chapter. 

Therefore, in response to UNEP-Chemicals, the USGS, in collaboration with the Economic Section of the 

U.S. Embassy, Lima, has herein compiled data on Peru’s exports, imports, and byproduct production of 

mercury. Peru was selected for this inventory because it has a 2000-year history of mercury production 

and use, and continues today as an important source of mercury for the global market, as a byproduct from 

its gold mines. Peru is a regional distributor of imported mercury and user of mercury for artisanal gold 

mining and chlor-alkali production. 

Peruvian customs data showed that 22 metric tons (t) of byproduct mercury was exported to the 

United States in 2006. Transshipped mercury was exported to Brazil (1 t), Colombia (1 t), and Guyana (1 

t). Mercury was imported from the United States (54 t), Spain (19 t), and Kyrgyzstan (8 t) in 2006 and was 

used for artisanal gold mining, chlor-alkali production, dental amalgam, or transshipment to other 

countries in the region. Site visits and interviews provided information on the use and disposition of 

mercury for artisanal gold mining and other uses. 

Peru also imports mercury-containing batteries, electronics and computers, fluorescent lamps, and 

thermometers. In 2006, Peru imported approximately 1,900 t of a wide variety of fluorescent lamps; 

however, the mercury contained in these lamps, a minimum of approximately 76 kilograms (kg), and in 

other products such as batteries and computer electronics is not recycled and may ultimately be released to 

the environment. 

Introduction 

Throughout history, mercury has been known and used for gold and silver processing. In Peru and 

many parts of the world, mercury is now used in batteries, chlor-alkali production, dental amalgam, 

fluorescent lights, switches, and thermometers. Much of the mercury contained in these end-of-use 

products can be recycled (Brooks and Matos, 2005); however, only a small amount of the mercury used 

for artisanal gold mining is recycled. 

Mercury, the liquid metal, occurs naturally in a number of geologic environments, may be obtained 

as a byproduct from precious metals mining, or is found in trace amounts in coal. Much of this mercury 

may be used and recycled; however, mercury used for artisanal gold production and mercury released 

from coal-fired powerplants, broken fluorescent lamps, and other sources is not recovered and becomes a 

global environmental and human health concern. 

1
In 2001, the Global Environment Facility allocated funding for studies related specifically to 

mercury use for artisanal gold mining in six countries from three continents. In order to focus awareness 

on human health issues, mercury releases, and regional mercury pollution, a United Nations 

Environmental Programme-Chemicals (UNEP-Chemicals) workshop took place in Buenos Aires, 

Argentina, in 2004. UNEP-Chemicals indicated a specific need for data and information on mercury 

production and use of mercury for artisanal gold mining in South America. Minimizing mercury 

contamination in the Amazon Basin was the theme of meetings held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 

December 2004 and in Lima, Peru, in February 2005. Sources of contamination, ecotoxicity, and human 

health issues were discussed by attendees from Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Suriname, and 

Venezuela. These meetings were sponsored by the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (Brazil), the 

Andean Community (Peru), the Ministry of Environment (Brazil), and the Regional Environmental 

Program of the Department of State-U.S. Embassy, Brasilia, Brazil. 

In 2006, Peru ranked first in gold production in Latin America and fifth in world gold production 

as well as being a world leader in silver, zinc, copper, and tin production. Therefore, because of 

environmental awareness and mercury stewardship on the part of Peru’s major international mining 

companies, Peru became a leader in reduction of mercury emissions and byproduct mercury recovery from 

their large scale open-pit mines (Barrick Gold Corporation, 2005, p. 14). Byproduct mercury and calomel 

(Hg2Cl2), which is recovered from precious metals processing in Peru and elsewhere in South America, are 

exported to the United States for processing, and the mercury is resold into the world market, where it may 

be used for a variety of uses. Peru also imports mercury for artisanal mining, chlor-alkali production, and 

dental amalgam. Mercury is also imported as a component of batteries, electronics, fluorescent lamps, 

medical equipment, and thermometers. 

The U.S. Embassy, Lima requested an in-country, field inventory of commodity mercury in Peru 

through the U.S. Department of State’s Embassy Science Fellow Program. This was in response to the 

need for mercury information in the region indicated by UNEP-Chemicals at environmental meetings in 

Rio de Janiero and Lima, and Peru’s leading role in gold mining, byproduct production of mercury, and 

widespread use of mercury for artisanal gold mining in Peru. 

Ancient Use of Mercury 

Mercury and the ore of mercury, cinnabar, were known to and used by ancient people in Asia, 

Europe, and South America. Geologically, mercury and cinnabar are well-known at Almaden, Spain; 

Huancavalica, Peru; Idrija, Slovenia; in the Yangtze belt, China; and other locations. Archaeologists have 

shown that mercury was used for gold amalgamation by the Romans, and cinnabar was used for funeral 

preparations and as a multi-use pigment. 

Near Valencia, Spain, well-preserved human bones covered with powdered cinnabar were found in 

a tomb that dates to 5000 B.C. (Maravelaki-Kalaitzaki and Kallithrakas-Kontos, 2003). Mercury was 

found in a ceremonial cup in an Egyptian tomb that dates to 1600 B.C. and the Greeks retorted mercury 

from cinnabar in 300 B.C. Archaeologists have described an underground tomb in China that dates to 200 

B.C. and it is described as having flowing rivers of mercury (China History Forum, 2006; Saiget, 2007). 

Roman villas were decorated with pigments made from powdered cinnabar, which was also used for 

makeup and, by A.D. 77, 4 to 5 t of mercury were imported annually from the mines in Spain for gold 

amalgamation. Roman slaves and criminals were sent to work, and subsequently to die, from the toxic 

mercury fumes released by firesetting (an ancient mining practice in which wood was burned at the face of 

the ore zone and water was poured on the face causing the rock to spall and crack) in the Spanish mercury 

mines (D’Itri and D’Itri, 1977, p. 6). In Central America, jade and shell fragments were found floating on 

a tiny, approximately 130-gram (g) pool of mercury in a closed container in a Mayan tomb in Belize that 

dates to A.D. 900-1000 (Pendergast, 1982). 

Mercury was known in ancient Peru and used by the Moche (approximately 100 B.C.-A.D. 750) in 

northern Peru to amalgamate placer gold and for the production of gold artifacts (Kaufmann Doig, 1978, 

2
p. 747; Larco Hoyle, 2001, p. 128). Mercury was recovered from drainages near the mercury occurrences 

at Huancavelica, and possibly from retorting cinnabar (Petersen, 1970, p. 55). Whether or not the ancient 

Andeans retorted cinnabar for mercury is controversial; however, retorts have been identified near the 

mines at Huancavelica (K. Brown, professor, Brigham Young University, written commun., May 9, 2003). 

Powdered cinnabar was used to decorate gold masks during the Formative Period (400-1000 B.C.) (De 

Lavalle, 1992, p. 39); as a mineral pigment used on murals (Muelle and Wells, 1939, p. 27; Brooks and 

others, 2006b); for painting warriors bodies and as a cosmetic for the elite Inca women (Brown, 2001, p. 

477); and also for funeral preparations (Maravelaki-Kalaitzaki and Kallithrakas-Kontos, 2003; Jackson, 

2004; J. Verano, Ph.D., anthropologist, Dumbarton Oaks, Washington, D.C., oral commun., December 12, 

2005). 

Approximately 20 mercury occurrences are known in Peru (Petersen, 1970, p. 55) and there are 

occurrences in southern Ecuador, near Cuenca and Azoguines (Truhan and others, 2005); however, the 

occurrences at Huancavelica are the largest and most well-known in the region and are the most likely 

source of mercury and cinnabar used in the ancient Andes. Only 15 kilometers (km) from the mine is 

Atalla, an archaeological site which was interpreted as an ancient cinnabar pigment production center 

(Burger and Matos, 2002, p. 10). As did the Romans, the Inca recognized the health hazards of mercury 

and that exposure to mercury and cinnabar during mining and retorting would cause the ancient miners “to 

shake and lose their senses” and, therefore, the use of mercury by the Inca declined (Larco Hoyle, 2001, p. 

135). 

Originally, Spain transported mercury from the mines at Almaden for mineral processing in the 

New World, and Spanish shipwrecks that still contain mercury are known in the Dominican Republic and 

in Colombia (Petersen, 1979, p. 851). However, upon re-discovery of the mercury occurrences at 

Huancavelica by the Europeans in the 1600s (Arana, 1901, p. 77), this regional source soon replaced 

imported Spanish mercury. Because of the combination of dangerous mining conditions, cold, working at 

4,000 meters (m), and exposure to the toxic mercury fumes, Huancavelica was known as the “mina de la 

muerte” [the mine of death] (Brown, 2001, p. 468). Regardless, mercury’s role was important for mineral 

processing in Spanish Colonial Peru and adding mercury, “el azogado” [azogue is an Arabic term for 

mercury that is commonly used in many parts of Latin America], was an essential step in silver recovery 

(Del Busto Duthurburu, 1996, p. 98). 

Mercury from Huancavelica was also used in the “patio process” for silver processing in Chile, 

Bolivia, and Mexico. Salt, mercury, and vitriol (mixed copper and iron sulfates) were mixed with crushed 

silver ore that contained argentite (Ag2S), cerargyrite (AgCl), or pyragyrite (Ag3SbS3), also known as the 

“dry ores,” in a large open area, or patio, and at Potosí, Bolivia, the cold climate required that the patios be 

heated from below to speed silver production (Craddock, 1995, p. 216). 

Mercury in Coal 

Mercury and other metals such as arsenic are contained in trace amounts in coal, and mercury is 

released when the coal is burned in a coal-fired powerplant. The quantity of mercury contained in coal is 

typically small; however, the volume of coal that is burned yearly indicates that tons of mercury may be 

released and this is a concern for the environment and human health. For example, the thousands of

coal-fired powerplants in the United States are estimated to release approximately 48 t of mercury 

annually (Gugliotta, 2004). Powerplants in coal-using nations such as China also contribute to global 

mercury releases; however, there is no recovery of this mercury. 

Coal is widely distributed in Peru, and the number of coal basins may be as few as four (Petersen, 

1978) to as many as fifteen (Alvarado, 1980, p. 401). The most recent compilation of maps, locations, 

formations, ages, rank, and reserves for 230 occurrences of coal in Peru is provided by Carrascal and 

others (2000, p. 44). Even though Peru has abundant coal, most of Peru’s electric power is provided from 

hydroelectric sources, and Peru imports coal from Colombia, Indonesia, and Venezuela for power 

generation in southern Peru (Bowen, 2001). 

3
The Goyllarisquizga Mine in northern Peru is perhaps the most well known occurrence because it 

supplied coking coal to the copper smelters at Cerro de Pasco. This coal mine was closed in the early 

1970s, was then reopened, and then, due to declining production, closed again in the 1990s (Brooks and 

others, 2006a). 

Because of global concern for mercury emissions related to coal-burning, the USGS initiated an 

inventory of the mercury and other trace element content of coal in the world market (Finkelman and 

others, 2001). Even though Peru is not one of the region’s major coal-producing or coal-using nations, 

coal is available from several smaller mines such as Baños de Chimu, Cocobal, La Limeña, and La 

Victoria (Dunin-Borkowski, 1996, p. 148) and is used locally for calcining cement, cooking, or making 

coal briquettes. Analyses from these occurrences indicate that the mercury content of Peruvian coal is less 

than 1 part per million (ppm), and Peruvian coal does not appear to present any potential environmental or 

health problems (Brooks and others, 2006a). 

Geology and Mining 

Mercury is retorted from, or is found in association with, the sulfide mineral cinnabar. It is a scarce 

metal that is silvery and liquid at room temperature in elemental form. It averages 0.05 ppm in the Earth’s 

crust. Mercury’s chemical and physical properties, isotopes, and thermodynamic properties are given in 

DeVito and Brooks (2005). 

Also known as azogue (Arabic) or llimpi (Quechua) in Andean Latin America, mercury occurs as a 

native metal or can be produced by retorting cinnabar. The more common ore of mercury, cinnabar, is 

dark red and soft, and may be associated with low-sulfidation epithermal mineral deposits worldwide; this 

is a type of hydrothermal mineral occurrence with a specific suite of minerals that forms at depths of less 

than 1 km and at temperatures of less than 300° C. Mercury ores may be found disseminated in finegrained or brecciated volcanic rocks near volcanic centers, fossil hot springs, and intrusive rocks and may 

be any age from Silurian to Tertiary (Cox and Singer, 1986, p. 178). 

Cinnabar is commonly mined by underground or open-pit methods from depths of less than 350 m. 

There are numerous mercury occurrences in Peru (Petersen, 1970, p. 55) and the most well known, the 

Santa Barbara Mine in Huancavelica, is now closed. Mercury miners at Huancavelica used the intensity of 

the color of the cinnabar, “...sangre seca, ley mas alta [if the ore is the color of dried blood, the grade is 

higher],” to indicate ore grade. 

In general, mercury ores may contain from 0.1 to more than 2 percent mercury; however, most 

economic ores contain more than 1 percent mercury. The ore is crushed, screened, and then heated in a 

retort or furnace with limited ore beneficiation. Other specialized methods include leaching, dissolution, 

and electro-oxidation (Nowak and Singer, 1995, p. 232). Mercury occurrences, as cinnabar, are 

widespread and are known in Algeria, China, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Spain and the United States. 

Since 1927, the common unit for measuring and pricing mercury has been the “flask,” which was 

set to conform to the system used at Almaden, Spain (Meyers, 1951). One flask weighs 34.5 kg, and 1 t of 

mercury contains approximately 29 flasks. The flask itself is a screw-top, welded-steel container that is 

approximately the size of a 2-liter soft drink bottle. During the Spanish Colonial period, the Huancavelica 

mines produced over 48,000 t (1,470,000 flasks) of mercury with most of this coming from the Santa 

Barbara Mine (Yates and others, 1955, p. 11). 

Byproduct Production of Mercury 

In 2006, world mine production of mercury was 1,480 t, and China was the leading producer 

(1,100 t) followed by Kyrgyzstan (250 t), Russia (50 t), and Tajikistan (30 t) (Brooks, 2007). However, 

mercury may also be produced as a byproduct from the processing of copper (tennantite-tetrahedrite), gold 

(amalgam), lead-zinc (sphalerite), and silver (kongsbergite) ores (Rytuba, 2003). Of these occurrences, 

4
most byproduct mercury is produced from epithermal gold-silver occurrences in a regional subduction 

setting, for example, in the western United States or the western part of South America. 

At Barrick’s Pierina gold mine, near Huaraz in northern Peru, and at Newmont’s Yanacocha gold 

mine, near Cajamarca, also in northern Peru, the gold-silver ore, which also contains mercury, is milled 

and then leached with cyanide to remove the metals. In the zinc precipitation process (Merrill-Crowe 

process), mercury is also precipitated with the gold and silver, and some of these precipitates may contain 

in excess of 20 percent mercury (Washburn and Hill, 2003). A carbon-based extraction system is then 

used to recover the dissolved metals. The gold-silver-mercury amalgam, or Merrill-Crowe precipitate, is 

then sent to a large, on-site retort for step-heating, which will volatize and remove the mercury from the 

gold-silver ore. The volatized mercury cools, condenses, and then passes into a tank that is periodically 

tapped, and the mercury is drained into a 1 t container. The container sits in a larger, water-filled pan that 

will trap any droplets of mercury that may splash during tapping. The 1-t container itself has a 2-to 3-

centimeter (cm) layer of water inside that keeps the mercury from volatizing at ambient temperatures. The 

byproduct mercury is then transferred to flasks for export only to the United States and the gold-silver 

concentrate moves on for further treatment in-plant. 

A number of strictly enforced health and safety measures are in place at the on-site retorts, which 

are separate from other mine operations. The mercury flasks are drop-tested for security and measured for 

standard dimensions. After the flasks are filled, the mercury may then be chemically tagged, and the flask 

caps are double-sealed. The filled flasks are placed in a larger container, which has also been drop tested 

for security (fig. 1). That container is then bolted shut before dedicated shipment to the port in Callao, 

Peru, for export to mercury recyclers in the United States for processing. Mercury will volatize at room 

temperatures (Putman, 1972, p. 513), therefore, 1-2 cm of water on the retort-room floor keeps any 

splashed mercury droplets from volatizing. Gold rings, cameras, pens, and other metallic items are not 

permitted in the retort area. Workers and visitors must sign in and out, wear rubber boots, and use 

protective, disposable clothing. Visitors and workers are chemically “sniffed” before leaving the building, 

and workers submit to periodic blood and urine testing. 

Figure 1. Security container with flasks of byproduct mercury before leaving Newmont Mining 

Corporation’s Yanacocha mine, northern Peru. (Photograph permission of Newmont Mining Corporation) 

5
The major mining companies operating in Peru recognize the environmental and human health 

issues associated with byproduct production of mercury and therefore export their mercury to the United 

States for treatment and recycling. However, after the mercury is processed in the United States, it may 

then be resold in the international metals market for a variety of purposes. That carefully safeguarded 

shipment of byproduct mercury that originally came from Peru may then be shipped to warehouses or 

importers in Europe, South America, or other destinations for artisanal gold mining or a variety of 

industrial uses (Fialka, 2006). 

Another solution to the byproduct mercury problem is chemical stabilization of the mercury using 

sulfur to make artificial cinnabar. In collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven 

National Laboratories, Minera Yanacocha S.R.L., is researching ways to chemically stabilize or otherwise 

encapsulate the mercury (Ron Bradburn, process manager, Minera Yanacocha, S.R.L., written commun., 

June 1, 2005). 

Peru is an important exporter of byproduct mercury from its precious metals mines to the United 

States, and according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), 22 t (2006), 128 t (2005), 0 t (2004), 19 t 

(2003), 0 t (2002), 29 t (2001), and 11 t (2000) were exported to the United States for treatment and resale. 

From 1994 to 2000, an average of 20 metric tons per year (t/yr) of byproduct mercury was 

produced by one mine in Peru, according to Peru’s Corporación Financiera Internacional; however, the 

disposition of this mercury is unknown. Peruvian customs indicate that from 1993 to 2000, an average of 

40 t/yr of mercury was imported for chlor-alkali production, medical uses, and artisanal gold mining 

(Carmen Mora Donayre, director, Ministerio de Industria, Turismo, y Negociones Commerciales 

Internacionales, written commun., September 6, 2001). 

Mercury Uses in Peru 

The chief uses of elemental mercury imported into Peru include artisanal gold mining, chlor-alkali 

production, and dental amalgam. Mercury imported for use in Peru may also be transshipped to other 

destinations in South America such as Colombia, Ecuador, or Guyana. Peru’s domestic byproduct mercury 

is not used directly in Peru and is exported to the United States for processing and resale (Fialka, 2006). 

Overview of Artisanal Gold Mining 

Mercury has been used for artisanal gold mining in Peru at least since the time of the Moche 

(approximately 100 B.C.-A.D. 750), who lived along the northern coast of Peru (Larco Hoyle, 2001, p. 

128). The widespread use of mercury for artisanal gold mining continues today in the Department of Piura 

in the northwest (Minas y Petroleo, 2006a); in southern coastal areas that include parts of the Departments 

of Ica, Arequipa, and Ayacucho (Canepa, 2005, p. 7); and the Departments of Puno and Madre de Dios in 

southeastern Peru (Kuramoto, 2001; Guerra, 2007). It is estimated that more than 200 t/yr of mercury are 

released annually through artisanal, or small-scale gold mining throughout Latin America (Viega, 1997). 

In a review of all types of gold occurrences in Peru, Noble and Vidal (1994) outlined three areas of 

alluvial or artisanal gold production; these were, from north to south, Rio Huallaga, Maranon, and Madre 

de Dios; however, no production data were given. From 1990-1999, in increasing order of production, 

Costa Norte (La Libertad, Pataz), Costa Sur (Arequipa, Ica), Puno, and Madre de Dios produced a total of 

approximately 20 t/yr of gold, according to the Ministerio de Energía y Minas. 

In 2001, approximately 17 percent of Peru’s total gold production was from artisanal production of 

gold from vein and alluvial occurrences, and of that total, 70 percent was from Madre de Dios (Kuramoto, 

2001). Other important areas include the Department of Puno, the southern coastal area, and the 

Department of La Libertad, and now, Piura. In 2004, artisanal gold mining accounted for 9 percent (14.8 t) 

of the gold produced in Peru (Gurmendi, 2004), and in 2005, the Ministry of Energy and Mines indicated 

that a minimum of 12,000 people working in the country’s artisanal gold mining sector produced 15.8 t of 

gold (El Minero Artesanal, 2007). 

6
The simplest method of amalgamation is with a wooden gold pan (batea), mercury, and the goldbearing sediments. Either alluvial sources, or vein occurrences that have been processed, are washed 

directly until only the heavy minerals, including gold and “black sand” remain. Mercury is then added 

which amalgamates with only the gold. The gold-mercury amalgam may then be removed for further 

treatment, and the remaining material, which may still contain some gold, is treated with cyanide. The 

quality of the mercury, whether virgin (preferred) or recycled, is an important factor in gold recovery. At 

alluvial or placer gold occurrences, the sediments may be collected directly from the streams, or in some 

mining operations, front-end loaders may dump the sediments in grizzlies, and the gold-bearing sediments 

are then treated by hand once the larger stones are removed. 

In vein or hard-rock mining areas, meter-sized crushing stones (quimbaletes) are used. The goldbearing material is crushed by rocking the quimbalete, then washed, and the remaining muddy sediment is 

washed again to remove the light minerals. Mercury is added to amalgamate with the gold. The density of 

the amalgam causes it to sink to the bottom of the slurry. In the third method, gold-bearing material is put 

into a ball mill (molino á bolas), mercury is added to amalgamate with the gold, and the light materials are 

removed by washing. In all of these examples, the mercury-gold amalgam is then burned either in the 

open-air or in a retort, the mercury is partially to completely volatized, and the gold remains. If the openair system is used, or if the mercury is retorted indoors, then mercury may be released directly to the 

surroundings (fig. 2). If a sealable retort is used, then a small amount of mercury may be captured from a 

condenser tube on the side of the retort (fig. 3). Regardless, significant mercury losses take place. 

Figure 2. Unvented mercury retort for gold processing in a grocery store in Inambari, Madre de Dios, Peru 

(Photograph by William E. Brooks) 

7
Figure 3. Sealable mercury retort at Mina Cabecera Santa Ynes, Huepethue, Madre de Dios, Peru. Tube on 

side helps to capture some of the volatized mercury fumes. (Photograph by William E. Brooks) 

Each quimbalete operation will use 1-2 kg of mercury daily, and 800 g of mercury may be 

recovered with a loss of 200 to 1,200 g of mercury. Treatment of the amalgam in a closed retort results in 

approximately 10 percent recovery of the mercury with a 90 percent loss of mercury as toxic fumes when 

the gold is burned (Canepa, 2005, p. 50). The 10 percent that is recovered by this method must then be 

cleaned before reuse. At the gold-buying shops in the mining towns, the metal may once again be burned 

with a gas torch to remove any remaining impurities or mercury. Usually, but not always, there is a 

chimney from the retort in the gold shop that releases any fumes from this process to the outside (fig. 4A, 

B). Even though most chimneys vent to the outside, approximately 50 percent of the mercury released 

precipitates in the area surrounding the place where it is burned, and high levels of mercury have been 

found in the blood of people who live in or above the gold shops (fig. 2) (Kuramoto, 2001). 

8
Figure 4A. Mercury retort with chimney, with B) chimney from inside gold shop to vent mercury fumes 

outside, Huepethue, Madre de Dios, Peru. (Photographs by William E. Brooks) 

9
At the Huepethue mine site, a 1 g sample of amalgam, before retorting or burning, contained 

312,000 ppm mercury. After the two-stage process of retorting and burning with the gas torch, a 1 g 

sample of gold contained 822 ppm mercury. 

Then, at the gold shop, a final burning step helps the dealer gauge the purity of the gold, set a price 

and, most importantly, at all times the gold is visible to the dealer and to the miner. After the gold cools, 

the dealer weighs the gold and pays the miner. Because of safety and the threat of being robbed, only 

partial payment may go directly to the miner, and the dealer will transfer the balance of the payment to a 

bank or a gold office in the miner’s hometown. The dore from the gold shop is then collected and 

transported to Lima for further processing and some mercury may be removed before the dore is sent to 

the United States for further refining and parting of the gold and silver (S. Gutierrez, general manager, 

Procesadora Sudamericana, oral commun., February 15, 2007). 

The amount of artisanal gold produced is an important factor in estimating mercury use. To 

produce a given quantity of gold, two to three times as much mercury is used (Roskill Information 

Services, Ltd., 1990, p. 105; Sausa, 2007); therefore, 32 t of mercury, or more, may have been used to 

produce the 16 t of gold from Peru’s artisanal mining sector in 2005. The price of the mercury is based on 

its origin; that is, virgin mercury from, or perceived to be from Almaden, Spain, is more costly. Recycled 

mercury, typically from the United States, is also used, but virgin Spanish mercury is preferred because 

miners believe that it gives better gold recovery. Some recycled mercury may be packaged in such a way 

as to imply Spanish origin and therefore receive a better price for the mercury. There is no information on 

the recovery rate of artisanal gold using virgin or recycled mercury. Regardless, after the mercury is used, 

very little is recovered or recycled. However, the mercury that is recovered may be cleaned using a variety 

of methods that include: electricity from 12-volt batteries; lemon juice; paper towels; soap; or toilet paper. 

After Spanish mercury, recycled mercury is a second choice for gold amalgamation; however, most of the 

mercury used for gold amalgamation, regardless of its origin, is released as mercury fumes during 

retorting or is otherwise lost to the environment and is not recycled. 

In some cases, the miner will sell his mercury-gold concentrate obtained from the quimbalete or 

ball mill directly to a dealer. Virgin mercury is preferred for presumably better gold recovery; however, 

some dealers may sell low quality or recycled mercury to the miner, which will then result in incomplete 

recovery of the gold from the concentrate. The tailings from this transaction will then be sold and treated 

with cyanide for further gold recovery, and the miner receives no profit from the gold recovered from this 

later process. 

Because of mercury losses, human health, and environmental concerns, and the reluctance of 

miners to let their gold leave their sight during retorting, communal, miner-operated retorts have been 

established as part of an international environmental program between Switzerland and Peru. Since 1993, 

the Swiss Agency for Development has been involved with environmental projects related to mining in 

Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru. Even though hand-held retorts are relatively inexpensive, most miners do not 

like and rarely use them. Some miners think that retorts may turn the gold green, which will result in a 

lower price, or that the process is slower than traditional methods (del Carmen Piazza, 2001). 

Because of these concerns, miner-run retorts with a traditional open-faced oven, so that the miner 

can see his gold during every step of retorting, have been built. Condenser tubes are installed and the 

mercury can then be recovered, recycled, and resold locally. Approximately 120 kilograms per year 

(kg/yr) of mercury can then be reused (Hruschka, 2007). 

The Peruvian environmental organization, Proyecto GAMA (Gestíon Ambiental en la Minería 

Artesenal) and the Ministerio de Energía y Minas del Peru has also tried to reduce mercury releases by 

providing free retorts and reactivadores de mercurio [mercury reactivators]. The reactivador de mercurio is 

a small rubber cup with a cathode and anode that will attach to a 12-volt battery (fig. 5). The used mercury 

is placed in the rubber cup with 2-3 cm of water and the mercury may be cleaned by passing the electricity 

through the mercury and the mercury, now recycled, can then be reused. From 1996 to 2000, 

approximately 1,600 reactivadores were distributed in artisanal gold mining areas (Medina Cruz, 2001). 

10
Figure 5. Mercury reactivator for cleaning and recycling mercury by using electricity from a 12 volt battery. 

(Photograph by William E. Brooks) 

Environmental contamination caused by mercury releases related to artisanal gold mining has been 

addressed by government and other agencies in Peru. Mercury losses in Madre de Dios were researched 

by Galloso and others (1996) and the Ministerio de Energía y Minas (2005) has published a guide to the 

use of mercury that also addresses handling and transportation issues. As a part of the Swiss 

environmental program, designs for community retorts, mitigation of mercury releases, and health effects 

are described in a guidebook distributed in artisanal mining areas by Adrianzen (2005). Newspaper 

articles address governmental concern about widespread contamination caused by mercury used for 

artisanal gold mining (Diario Gestíon, 2007; Guerra, 2007). 

From Piura, in the northwest, to Madre de Dios, in the southeast, artisanal gold mining is an 

important economic activity; however, there are health risks involved with using mercury and from the 

toxic fumes released from burning the gold-mercury amalgam. Children working in the artisanal mining 

areas are exposed to mercury on a daily basis, and the damage to their health and mental development is 

irreversible (Sausa, 2007). There are a minimum of 50,000 workers, many of whom are children, and the 

combination of malnutrition, exposure to mercury, time devoted to work, and, in some cases, altitude, are 

key factors in understanding why there is a high proportion of children with intellectual developmental 

difficulties in the artisanal mining communities (del Carmen Piazza, 2001). 

Artisanal gold mining is a global activity, the processes are similar, and mercury is widely used. 

Therefore, The Global Mercury Project has published “Protocols for Environmental and Health 

Assessment of Mercury Released by Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Miners” (Viega and Baker, 2004) 

and a “Manual for Training Artisanal and Small Scale Gold Miners” (Viega and others, 2006). The 

purpose of these books is to introduce cleaner and healthier artisanal gold mining and extraction 

technology. Chapters discuss gold ores, crushing, gravity methods, classical and home made retorts, 

amalgamation, use of cyanide, and the environmental and health effects of mercury exposure. 

Piura 

Even though the Department of Piura, in northwestern Peru, is considered one of the best locations 

for exploration and mining in Peru, it did not figure into 2005 Ministry of Energy and Mining statistics for 

11
gold production nor did Kuramoto (2001) include Piura in her compilation of important artisanal gold 

producing regions. In the 1990s mining investments began flowing into Peru and one of these projects was 

Tambogrande in Piura. The Tambogrande project was different because it brought the possibility of largescale, open-pit mining, which had previously only taken place in Andean Peru, to an established 

agricultural region. Conflict over the potential environmental affects ensued and the mining company left 

in 2003 (Wilson, 2004; De Echave, 2005; Guerra, 2007). However, conflict between artisanal mining and 

agriculture was just beginning. 

Since 2001, artisanal mining has been growing in Piura. Some of the more well known locations 

include San Lorenzo, Las Lomas, and El Chira; however, there are many more. There are a minimum of 

4,000 artisanal miners in the area and the regional government of Piura has established a census 

commission to establish the number of workers and families involved in mining (El Peruano, 2007). 

Gold is worked mainly using quimbaletes and ball-mills—both processes use mercury. 

Approximately 4 kg of gold may be obtained from every 100 t of rock that is crushed using the 

quimbaletes and each kilogram may be worth as much as $21,000 (Obregon Rossi, 2007). The mercury 

comes either from Trujillo or from nearby Ecuador and sells for $60 to $75 (S/. 180 to 225) per kilogram. 

There is no recovery of the mercury, and the gold is burned in the open without the use of retorts (Minas y 

Petroleo, 2006a, p. 10). 

Mining methods also include the use of cyanide and dynamite for blasting. Gold-bearing waste 

rock from the ball-mines and quimbaletes is purchased and transported for treatment with cyanide at 

cyanidation pits 20 to 40 km northwest of Tambogrande, or as far south as Nazca, for further gold 

recovery. The use of cyanide, mercury, and zinc and the fact that waste rock from the quimbaletes is left in 

the open, or put almost anywhere, and may drain these metals directly into the groundwater is a cause of 

intense concern to the agricultural community in Piura. Uncontrolled artisanal mining and the widespread 

use of mercury and cyanide has contaminated the rivers in the region, the San Lorenzo reservoir, and the 

water in the agricultural areas of Las Lomas and Tambogrande. Neither the miners nor the many underage 

children working in the region use any sort of protection when working with these toxic materials 

(Obregon Rossi, 2007). 

Approximately 120 t of waste rock from the quimbaletes may be transported daily for processing 

with cyanide and from those 120 t, another 2.4 kg of gold may be obtained daily, with a yearly yield of 

864 kg of gold (La Hora, 2007a; La Hora, 2007b). There are no data on the amount of gold recovered 

from the less efficient, mercury-only methods. There are locations where it is possible to obtain 5 g gold 

from a 30 kg load of rock and a gram of gold may be worth approximately $20 (S/. 45-60) to the mine 

owners. Laborers at the quimbaletes and at the mines may receive approximately $8 (S/. 20-25) per day 

compared with approximately $2.50 (S/. 8) for a day’s work in the agricultural sector, and one former 

agricultural worker indicated that his daily wages had quadrupled. 

La Libertad 

Pataz—Artisanal mining in the Department of La Libertad is mainly near Pataz which is 

approximately 350 km east of Trujillo in northern Peru. Since pre-European contact, this has been one of 

Peru’s major gold producing areas. Most gold is extracted from gold-quartz-pyrite veins that crop out for a 

distance of approximately 70 km and are associated with the Pataz batholith (Schreiber and others, 1990, 

p. 1328; Noble and Vidal, 1994). However, the Pataz gold mining area was not visited because it is within 

an area outlined by the U.S. Embassy as restricted because of coca production. 

At Pataz, the gold-quartz-pyrite veins are of primary interest and adits follow the high-grade zones. 

The adits are dangerous (Warren Church, anthropologist, Columbia State University, written commun., 

December 14, 2006). Ore is extracted using hand drills and sledgehammers. Beneficiation of the ore 

includes sledgehammers and quimbaletes. Mercury is added to the crushed and washed material and then 

the amalgam is squeezed through a cloth and some mercury is recovered for reuse. The amalgam is then 

burned to remove any remaining mercury and the gold is then sold. The alluvial deposits, which are of less 

importance, are mainly along the Rio Maranon and Rio Cajas where the gold-bearing gravels shed from 

12
the batholith are worked with shovels, gold pans, and mercury (Kuramoto, 2001). Cyanide and carbon 

treatment is also being used to recover gold in this area. 

Trujillo (site visit)—In 1998, La Libertad was fourth in artisanal gold production, which was 

estimated to be 190 kg (Kuramoto, 2001). In Trujillo, at Inversiones Mineras Victoria S.A.C., the “El 

Español” brand of mercury is sold along with cyanide, zinc powder, and other mining supplies such as 

boots, dust masks, gloves, and hard-hats (Miguel Angel Rodriguez, owner, Jr. Bolivar 717, written 

commun., February 5, 2007). Many gold shops are nearby; however, these do not sell mercury or mining 

supplies. From gold production data, it is inferred that less than 1 t of mercury was released through 

artisanal mining in 1998. There were approximately 700 miners working in the Pataz area in 1998 

(Kuramoto, 2001) and 11 years was the minimum age for children to work in the mines (Warren Church, 

anthropologist, Columbia State University, written commun., December 14, 2006); however, Juan 

Valdivia, Minister of Energy and Mines, indicates that children as young as 4-6 years are used as cheap 

labor or “helpers” in the broader artisanal mining sector (Guerra, 2007). 

Madre de Dios 

Huepethue (site visit)—Madre de Dios produces approximately 70 percent of Peru’s artisanal gold 

(Kuramoto, 2001). At Huepethue, one of the most important artisanal mining centers in the jungle in the 

Department of Madre de Dios, mining takes place at an area locally referred to as “Las Quebradas.” Other 

nearby mining areas include: Caychihue, Puerto Carlos, Puquiri, Laberinto, and other unnamed 

occurrences. Huepethue, which may or may not appear on maps, is approximately 15 hours by hazardous 

road, boat, and stream crossings from Cusco. When available, there is seasonal air service from Cusco to 

Huepethue. 

Gold extraction methods used in Madre de Dios include channeling, dragging, sluicing, use of 

boats with suction hoses, and dredges. Bateas (gold pans) are used and one of the simpler methods used at 

Huepethue is the “balde” or pig-tail bucket. These buckets are filled with sediment and then the sediment 

is washed, sometimes by foot to concentrate the gold at the bottom of the bucket. Light materials are 

floated, gravel is removed by hand, and then mercury is added. “Chupaderas” or boats with divers using 

suction hoses are used in the rivers, especially at Laberinto. The gold-bearing sediments are brought to the 

surface using the suction hoses and mercury is added to the sediments to recover the gold. These artisanal 

methods are widely used; however, the presence and use of numerous dump trucks, excavators, and frontend loaders all indicate substantial investment in the area. 

Sediments collected by the methods described above all rely first on gravity to separate gravel and 

light minerals from the nuggets, finer gold particles, and heavy mineral sands. The nuggets are extracted 

by hand and the finer gold particles are recovered by amalgamation. Because of the widespread use of 

mercury and environmental concerns, Galloso and others (1996) studied the dispersion of mercury in Rio 

Madre de Dios as well as studies near Caychihue, Puerto Carlos, Puquiri, and Huepethue. Madre de Dios 

was also included in a regional study of artisanal mining, environmental impact, occupational health, and 

child labor by Kuramoto (2001). 

At Huepethue, gold is found in placer deposits that may be from 20 to 70 m thick in an area that 

may be 25 square kilometers or larger with 7,000 to 10,000 miners. The area has been mined for gold 

since Spanish Colonial time; however, it saw a resurgence of activity in 1977. At the site visit to Mina 

Cabecera Santa Ynes, trucks dumped gold-bearing sediments in a large grizzly at the top of a hill, gravels 

were removed, and the sediment was washed downhill in a ziz-zag sluice lined with carpet (fig. 6A, B). 

The carpets were recovered from the sluices and the gold was washed into a muddy settling pit from 

which the gold-bearing sediment was recovered. Mercury was then added, mixed by hand with the 

sediment, the amalgam was recovered, and was then placed into a small retort in a cabin (fig. 4A). The 

retort was bolted shut and the amalgam was heated for approximately 30 minutes. A small tube on the side 

of the retort condensed some of the mercury fumes in a water-filled cup for later cleaning and reuse. All 

mine staff left the cabin and it was locked while retorting took place; however, dark smoke indicated the 

release of mercury fumes. After the smoke cleared, the retort was opened and the smudgy brown gold 

13
ingot was recovered. This ingot was allowed to cool, then broken with a hammer and burned again 

[refogado] to remove any remaining mercury (fig. 7A, B). The broken fragments are burned with a gas 

torch until glowing and, upon cooling, the beauty and attraction of the precious metal is compelling—this 

is an important, hands-on step because the price that the miner will be paid is based on the color of the 

gold, and the miner can then judge the quality of his metallurgy, the purity of the gold, and the price that 

he will receive (fig. 7B). 

Figure 6A) Sluice and b) silvery, mercury-gold amalgam in gold pan (batea) in foreground at Mina Cabecera 

Santa Ynes, Huepethue, Madre de Dios, Peru. (Photographs by William E. Brooks) 

14
Figure 7A. Gold immediately after being removed from the retort and 7B gold after being burned (refogado) 

to remove any mercury and improve the aesthetic appearance of the gold, Mina Cabecera Santa Ynes, 

Huepethue, Madre de Dios, Peru. (Photographs by William E. Brooks) 

Figure 8. Widely used “El Español” brand of recycled mercury. (Photograph by William E. Brooks) 

15
Mercury used in gold processing at Huepethue was bought locally and was labeled either 

“American Mercury” or “El Español” and prices varied between $50 and $60 (S/.150-180) per 1-kg bottle 

(fig. 8). Very little mercury was recovered in the cup at the retort. The amount of mercury used daily or 

monthly is dependant on ore grade; however, the miners indicated that they might use 500 g to 2 kg 

weekly at this mine alone. 

Puno 

The Department of Puno is in mountainous southeastern Peru near the border with Bolivia. 

Artisanal exploitation of gold-bearing quartz veins at 5,000 m in the Ananea-La Rinconada region of Puno 

was first described by Raimondi (1878). The gold-bearing quartz was crushed using quimbaletes and the 

ore was concentrated in bateas using glacial meltwater, a style used since pre-European contact (Petersen, 

1970, p. 121). 

Puno is the second most important artisanal mining area in Peru, with 17 percent of Peru’s 

artisanal gold production, and Kuramoto (2001) estimates its production at 2.5 t/yr. However, Juan 

Valdivia, Minister of Energy and Mines, estimates that the San Antonio de Poto region of Puno, which 

includes Ananea, may produce as much as 50 t/yr of gold, mainly because of lack of controls in the area 

(Guerra, 2007). Puno is a center of artisanal mining and is also the location of a new open pit gold mine, 

Mina Arasi, which is projected to produce 4.5 t/yr (Minas y Petroleo, 2006b, p. 6). 

Juliaca is the nearest town and is approximately 4 to 5 hours by rural, unsurfaced road from the 

mining areas. Artisanal gold mining, which dates back to the Colonial period, is especially difficult 

because of high altitude (5,000 m) and cold. Anywhere from 7,500 to 30,000 people live in the area, and 

dwellings are made of adobe, brick, and stone with corrugated roofs. Streets quickly turn to mud in the 

rain or snow, and there is no infrastructure for trash removal. Mining takes place in the Rio Ramis 

watershed, and the combination of mercury from mining activities and contamination from trash dumped 

in open areas contributes to concern for human health and water quality in downstream areas. After 

periods of high runoff, communities downstream indicate that they have underweight cattle and that 

children do not want to eat, are sick, and frequently vomit. In 2000, the University of Montana and the 

Universidad Nacional del Altiplano-Puno (Peru) were awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of State 

to initiate environmental studies related to mining and metal contamination in the Rio Ramis watershed. 

One of the objectives of the study was to assess metals pollution, specifically mercury, in Lake Titicaca 

owing to artisanal mining upstream. Analyses of water and soil samples indicated a high level of mercury 

contamination, and approximately 27 percent of the pejerrey and 75 percent of the carachi (important local 

food fish) from Lake Titicaca exceeded the fish tissue-based water quality criterion of 0.30 milligrams 

(mg) (Gammons and others, 2006, p. 637). 

Site visits were made to Ananea and La Rinconada-Cerro Lunar de Oro; however, other nearby 

mining areas include Ancoccala, Carabaya La Aurifera, Lampa, Masiapo, San Antonio del Oro, and 

Yanahuaya. 

Ananea 

At Ananea, gold is obtained from 10-m thick, or more, glacial-derived alluvial deposits using highpressure monitors, sluices, riffle boxes, and panning. There are some tunnels and shafts where mining is 

accomplished using shovels and wheelbarrows. Front-end loaders are also used, some of which work 24 

hours. The front-end loaders and other heavy machinery indicate a substantial investment in gold mining 

in the region. At various times, the miners have been organized under the government agency Centromin 

and also as Minero Peru, Minería Los Andes, or Corporación Minera Ananea. 

The amalgam from Ananea and La Rinconada-Cerro Lunar artisanal mining sites is brought to the 

gold shops in Ananea, where it is burned and the mercury fumes are vented to the outside of the shop. 

There is no recovery or recycling of the mercury in the field or in the gold shops. The gold price is fixed 

16
daily depending on prices obtained on the Internet from New York or London. One local newspaper, “El 

Minero Artesanal” carries a chart with 30-day New York and London gold prices. Therefore, the gold 

price paid is a function of gold prices from the Internet, depending on the source of the gold, and a 

percentage for the dealer (for example, Ananea gold has silver and is generally 92.6 percent gold; 

however, Rinconada gold is typically 95 percent gold). The dore, approximately 20 to 25 kg per month, 

goes to Juliaca and from there, to Lima (H. Llacsa Bustinea, gold dealer, Ananea, oral commun., February 

18, 2007). 

At Ananea, the “El Español” brand of mercury sells for $40/kg (S/. 120) and another brand 

“American Mercury” sells for $30/kg (S/. 100). Another brand was available, also for $30; however, the 

bottle only carried the name “Corporación Reggiper, S.A.” 

La Rinconada-Cerro Lunar de Oro 

These two adjacent artisanal mining communities are very near Ananea. Elevation here is 

approximately 5,000 m and the towns are located at the terminus of a glacier that also supplies water to the 

communities. The local Civil Defense Agency of Puno has recommended evacuation of the 3,000 or more 

miners in the area because of the possibility of hazards such as glacial release and landslides (El 

Comercio, 2006). 

Gold is hosted in subhorizontal, 2 to 40 cm quartz veins that contain gold, pyrite, galena, 

tetrahedrite, and other minerals (Kuramoto, 2001). Adits and small tunnels follow the quartz veins, and the 

ore is extracted using picks, explosives, and sometimes, compressors. The ore is crushed and ground using 

quimbaletes, and it is at this step that mercury is added. There are approximately 1,000 quimbaletes in use, 

gold recovery is low, and mercury losses are high. Approximately 500 g of mercury are used to recover 10 

to 20 g of gold. The mercury-gold amalgam is squeezed through a cloth in order to recover some of the 

mercury, which is then cleaned with cotton or toilet paper. The amalgam is then burned either in the 

homes of the miners or is taken to the gold shops in Ananea for burning and sale. 

Chlor-Alkali Production 

Quimpac S.A. is the sole producer of chlorine, caustic soda, and related products in Peru. These 

materials are used to bleach newspapers, for swimming pools, medicine, and other industrial uses. 

Quimpac production units are located in Callao, Huacho, Paramonga, and Otuma, with headquarters in 

Callao (Quimpac S.A., 2005). Mercury cell technology (DeNora 14H3/14TGL) is used by Quimpac with 

installed capacity of 45 t/yr of NaOH (Nelson Felipe, spokesman, Clorosur, written commun., December 

6, 2004). In 1989, Roskill Information Services Ltd., (1990, p. 70) indicated that total mercury-cell 

capacity for Peru was 74 t. However, the current mercury capacity of the cells at the Quimpac facilities 

was not available (Isias Flit, advisor, Quimpac S.A., oral commun., February 14, 2007). During 2006, data 

from Peruvian customs indicate that approximately 2 t of replacement mercury were purchased from 

suppliers in Spain. And, as of February 2007, there were no immediate plans to change to non-mercury 

chlor-alkali production. 

Dental Amalgam 

Dentists have used amalgam, which contains mercury and other metals, since 1833 (Talbot, 1882). 

Modern amalgam contains mercury (50 percent), silver (34 to 38 percent), tin (12 to 14 percent), copper (1 

to 2 percent) and zinc (0 to 1 percent) (Davis, 2003). Amalgam fillings may last from 2 to 20 years, 

depending on the size of the filling (Dr. John Mercantini, dentist, Reston, Va., oral commun., December 

12, 2004). In the United States, amalgam is sold in pre-measured capsules that are opened in the dentist’s 

office just before use, and the American Dental Association discourages the use of bulk mercury 

(American Dental Association, 2006). Approximately 30 t/yr of mercury is used in the United States and 

17
used or discarded amalgam from collection devices in dental offices may be processed to recover the 

mercury and the silver (Lawrence, 1995). There are no data on the amount of mercury that is recycled 

from dental amalgam in the United States. 

Site visits were made to dental supply stores in Lima, a dental clinic at the Universidad Cayetano 

Heredia in Lima, and to a dental office in Trujillo. Bulk mercury in 100-g plastic bottles is sold in the 

dental supply stores in the 200 block of Avenida Emancipación in Lima. Several gold shops are nearby. 

Mercury sold in the dental supply shops is triple-distilled, has a label indicating that it has U.S. Food and 

Drug Administration approval, is imported from the United States, and distributed by a Peruvian importer. 

The cost is approximately $7 (S/. 22) for the 100-g bottle, and no professional documentation is needed 

for purchase. The other metallic components for making dental amalgam are sold separately as a powder 

so that the dentist may make a custom amalgam at the dental office. A visit to other dental supply shops 

indicated that no chairside traps are sold with which to recover the discarded silver-mercury amalgam. 

At the Universidad Cayetano Heredia, dentists use either bulk mercury or pre-measured amalgam 

capsules that are imported from Australia. There is no system to capture the unused or discarded silvermercury amalgam. The discarded amalgam is either put into the trash or goes directly into the local 

sewage system from the chairside spitoon provided for the patient. In general, the use of amalgam, which 

is typically dark, is declining, and composite fillings that have a more natural color are preferred (Dra. 

Allison Chavez and Dr. Elar Ventura, dentists, oral commun., Clinica Dental de la Universidad Cayetano 

Heredia, Lima, January 30, 2007). 

At the dental clinic in Trujillo, bulk mercury is commonly hand-mixed with silver-bearing powder 

for making amalgam. These fillings are inexpensive and generally cost $10; however, for aesthetic reasons 

given above, amalgam use is declining and most patients prefer composite restorations (Dr. Alex 

Rodriguez, dentist, Primavera Centro Odontológico, Trujillo, oral comm., February 5, 2007). Dr. 

Rodriguez was especially interested in this study because he had recently finished his thesis research on 

“The influence of low-temperature polishing on high-copper dental amalgam” at the Universidad Nacional 

de Trujillo. 

Other Uses and Disposition of Imported Mercury-Containing Products 

Mercury-containing products include batteries, computers and electronics, fluorescent lamps, and 

thermometers. Children’s light-up toys and some toothbrushes may contain batteries as well, but specific 

data on the large quantity of toy and other battery-containing imports were not available. None of the 

mercury contained in these products is recycled and may ultimately be released to the environment. 

Batteries 

There are many sizes, shapes, and varieties of everyday-use batteries, and virtually all batteries 

contain some mercury. Mercury oxide is used in varying amounts, especially in “button” batteries; 

however, alkaline batteries generally have the lowest mercury content. Cadmium-mercury batteries have 

been widely used in watches, calculators, cameras, and hearing aids (Battery-Index, 2003; Mercury in 

Batteries, 2004). In the United States in 2004, mercury batteries imported from China were used in 

approximately 17 million light-up toys distributed in cereal boxes that were clearly marked “battery in toy 

contains mercury” (Spitzer, 2004). In Peru, inexpensive “button” batteries that were sometimes swallowed 

by children were blamed for blindness and other health problems (El Comercio, 2002; 2003). 

“Button” batteries from China and Japan are routinely sold in multi-battery packs in stores, and 

replacement batteries for watches and hearing aids are sold on many street corners in Lima, Trujillo, and 

elsewhere and the used batteries are thrown into the trash. Recently, Supermercados Wong, S.A., a large 

supermarket chain in Lima, has placed battery recycling canisters outside its stores. At Colegio Roosevelt, 

a private high school in Lima, as part of an environmental studies project, students have collected batteries 

for recycling in collaboration with Supermercados Wong, S.A. (S. Kemme, teacher, Colegio Roosevelt, 

18
Lima, written commun., February 24, 2007) (fig. 9). Batteries from Supermercados Wong, S.A., Colegio 

Roosevelt, and other sources are collected monthly by Teconec, S.A.C, an environmental consulting 

company; however, at present there are no battery recycling facilities in Peru, and Teconec, S.A.C. is 

researching storage or possible export of the batteries for recycling (Teconec, S.A.C., 2007; A. Knell, 

manager, Teconec, S.A.C., oral commun., February 22, 2007). 

Figure 9. Battery collection for recycling, an environmental project by students at Colegio Roosevelt, Lima, 

Peru in collaboration with Supermercados Wong, S.A., a major grocery chain and Teconec, S.A.C., an 

environmental consulting firm in Lima, Peru. (Photograph courtesy of Sarah Kemme, instructor, Colegio 

Roosevelt, Lima, Peru) 

In 2006, a minimum of 2,960 t of batteries of a wide variety of descriptions were imported into 

Peru. According to Environment Canada (2007), batteries may contain from 5 to 25 mg of mercury as 

mercury oxide. Given, an average battery weight of 5 g for all battery styles (Shenzhen Tech, 2007), a 

minimum of 5 mg of mercury per battery, and given a zero recycling rate for batteries, then a minimum of 

approximately 3 t of mercury will ultimately be released after the batteries imported in 2006 are put into 

the trash. 

According to the Canadian Household Battery Industry, mercury in household batteries, especially 

the button cells, will be eliminated by 2011 (Recycling Product News, 2006). The Swiss company Batrec, 

which was founded in 1989, is Europe’s leading recycler of mercury-containing materials and it processes 

more than 3,000 t/yr of batteries, sludges, and other materials (Beck, 2004). The Mercury Recycling 

Group, which is the largest recycler of mercury in the United Kingdom, has tripled its recycling capacity 

in response to European environmental legislation (Metal-Pages, 2004). Environmental legislation in 

Europe has resulted in the European Union Battery Directive which is expected to result in a $640 million 

market for recycled batteries (Vollrath, 2006). 

19
Electronics and Computers 

Electronics and computers may be recycled in order to recover the lead, mercury, and other metals 

that can be harmful if dumped in a landfill. However, the cost to recycle a computer is approximately $20 

(S/. 60), and therefore, the recycling rate for the broad category of computers and electronics in the United 

States is less than 10 percent (Kessler, 2004). On its model MA6, Gateway Inc. includes a label indicating 

that the lamp in the display contains mercury and should be disposed of in accordance with local, state, 

and federal laws. 

There is no recycling of computers in Peru. Used U.S. Embassy computers may be given to local 

schools. For the most part, used computers and electronics may be passed from one agency to local 

schools or refurbished and resold in the used computer district in Lima, the 400 to 500 block of Avenida 

Wilson. Used computers may also be resold so that the gold contained in the microprocessors may be 

recovered. 

Fluorescent Lamps 

In the United States, reclamation of mercury from spent fluorescent lamps and mercury-vapor 

lamps began in 1989. The startup recycling rate was 10 to 12 percent, and that rate had increased to about 

20 percent by the end of 2000 and each lamp may contain from 10 to 20 mg of mercury (Zero Mercury 

Campaign, 2002; National Electrical Manufacturers Association, 2003; Environment Canada, 2007). 

Fluorescent lamp packages in the United States have an information panel that has the symbol for mercury 

“Hg” and a statement that the lamp contains mercury and should be disposed of in accordance with 

disposal laws. A website (http://www.lamprecycle.org) and a telephone number (1-800-435-4448) are 

provided for further information. The U.S. Embassy purchases fluorescent lamps from General Electric, 

Canada, in 36 unit boxes (F32T8-SP65-ECO). These lamps are marked as containing mercury; however, 

end-of-use lamps are not recycled and go into the trash. 

Fluorescent lamps and the newer energy-saving compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) are widely 

promoted and used in Peru and, in 2006, approximately 1,900 t of fluorescent lamps of all types were 

imported. A site visit to Ace Hardware in Lima (January 31, 2007) showed that this total included a wide 

variety of wattages (8 watts to 100 watts) and styles such as traditional tubes, CFLs, and circular lamps 

which were imported from Canada, China, Brazil, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, and Thailand. Most, 

however, were made in China. Some of these lamp packages indicate that mercury is used in the lamps; 

however, most do not. These lamps are not recycled and end up in the trash (fig. 10) and, enroute to the 

landfill, are likely broken and mercury is released. 

Given that approximately 1,900 t of mercury-containing fluorescent lamps were imported in 2006, 

an average lamp weight is 250 g, and each lamp contained 10 to 20 mg of mercury, then it is estimated 

that a minimum of 76 kg of mercury (using a minimum of 10 mg of mercury per lamp) was contained in 

the lamps. Since there is no recycling of fluorescent lamps in Peru, the approximately 76 kg of mercury 

contained in the 1,900 t of lamps imported in 2006 will be released to the environment when the lamps are 

ultimately broken. 

In 2006, an estimated 150 million CFLs were sold in the United States and these energy-saving 

bulbs are widely used in Canada, the European Union, and Australia. The CFLs require less electricity 

than traditional lamps, and manufacturers argue that the CFLs reduce overall mercury in the atmosphere 

by reducing the amount of coal used, which by implication reduces mercury emissions from coal-fired 

power plants. The mercury content of these bulbs is approximately 3 to 5 mg, and some have as little as 

1.2 mg (Von Ahn, 2007). However, since there is no recycling of CFLs or any other fluorescent lamps in 

Peru, ultimately the mercury from these energy-efficient lamps will be released when the bulbs are 

broken, either in, or enroute to, the landfills. 

20
Figure 10. Discarded fluorescent lamp on the street, Trujillo, Peru. (Photograph by William E. Brooks)

Thermometers, Medical Equipment, and Vaccines 

Digital fever thermometers are available in Peru, and mercury thermometers that sell for 

approximately $1 (S/. 3.0) are available in many drug stores. These thermometers were manufactured in 

China (fig. 11). A minimum of 14 t of thermometers were imported into Peru in 2006 and were used 

mainly for aquariums, medical use, and refrigeration. Some of these thermometers, if not recycled, may 

ultimately be broken releasing the mercury in the home, hospital, or to the environment. 

Figure 11. Mercury thermometer bought in a drugstore in Lima, Peru. (Photograph by William E. Brooks) 

Mercury-containing blood pressure devices are imported from Germany (Rudolf Riester GmbH & 

Co., http://www.riester.de) and are widely sold and used in Peru. Digital blood pressure measuring devices 

are available; however, the mercury blood pressure cuffs give more reliable readings and are preferred for 

office use (C. Estrada, nurse, U.S. Embassy, Lima, oral commun., February 22, 2007). 

A mercury compound, timerosal, which is used as a preservative in some vaccines, reportedly is a 

suspected cause of autism in children. As in the United States, in Peru, the relationship between autism in 

children and mercury in vaccines remained controversial (Harris and O’Connor, 2005; Hightower, 2001). 

University studies and studies by the Ministry of Health (Peru) present contradictory findings on the 

health effects of the mercury compound timerosal in vaccines (Izaguirre, 2007; Martinez, 2007). 

21
Mercury used in thermometers and in blood pressure devices may be recycled; however, at present, 

there is no collection or recycling of mercury-containing thermometers or medical equipment in Peru. In 

2003, however, about 300 t of mercury-containing waste from a closed thermometer plant in India were 

shipped to the United States for recycling (Rai, 2003). The mercury used as a compound in the vaccine 

preservative, timerosal, is dissipative. 

Prices 

In the global market, mercury is commonly priced and shipped by the 34.5-kg flask, a unique 

measure that was established at Almaden, Spain, the world’s oldest producer of mercury. Information on 

mercury prices in the global market was compiled from Platts Metals Week, and information on Peruvian 

import prices was obtained from the Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas del Peru and from 

EQUIFAX, formerly known as INFOCORP, a Peruvian company that collects financial data for 

companies, banks, and individuals that is used for credit sales and loans. 

In 2001, the price of mercury was approximately $155 per flask, then rose sharply to $850 per 

flask in spring 2005, and settled to approximately $600 per flask in 2006 (Platts Metals Week, 2006, p. 19) 

and early 2007 (Platts Metals Week, 2007, p. 19). The overall rise in mercury prices is in response to: 1) 

increased demand for mercury for artisanal gold mining in step with increased world gold prices, and, 2) 

the decline in the production of mercury-containing devices (except for CFLs and other types of 

fluorescent lamps) and subsequent decline in the supply of end-of-use mercury-containing devices from 

which mercury may be reclaimed and recycled (Brooks and Matos, 2005). 

Virgin mercury is imported into Peru from Spain and Kyrgyzstan and this mercury is preferred for 

artisanal gold production. The Peruvian import price for this mercury is usually $20/kg or higher. 

Recycled or processed byproduct mercury is imported from Kyrgyzstan (Suerkulov, 2001), the United 

States, or other sources and the price is somewhat less than $20/kg. However, some of this recycled 

mercury may be packaged as to imply Spanish origin in order to obtain a higher price when the mercury is 

repackaged in 1-kg bottles for sale in the artisanal mining areas. 

Byproduct mercury and mercury obtained from processing calomel is also transshipped from the 

United States, and then held in European warehouses for global distribution (Fialka, 2006). Minor 

amounts of mercury are also imported from Australia, Austria, Germany and the United States, for dental 

amalgam and medical uses. 

In 2004, Platts Metals Week listed $365 per flask (or $11/kg) as the price for mercury in the 

United States. Peruvian import prices were from $2 to $8 per kg. In 2005, mercury sold for $555 per flask 

($16 per kg) and import prices were from $2 to $28 per kg. In 2006, mercury sold for $600 per flask ($17 

per kg), and import prices were from $1 to $22.20 per kg. For the first 3 months of 2007, mercury also 

sold for $600 ($17 per kg), and import prices were from $4 to $20 per kg. The uneven nature of import 

pricing, some of which is well below the international average price per kg of mercury, may be related to 

country of origin, hedging, whether or not the mercury was recycled or virgin, improper customs 

declarations, or other reasons. 

In 2006, a $600, 34.5-kg flask (or approximately $17/kg) may easily be worth $2,100 or more 

when repackaged in 1-kg bottles and sold at $60 per kg for artisanal gold mining. Import prices in 2006 

per kg of mercury range from a high of $24 for mercury from Almaden to a low of $1 for mercury 

processed in the United States. 

In February 2007, in the artisanal mining areas of Huepethue (Madre de Dios) and Ananea (Puno), 

1-kg bottles of mercury sold for approximately $40 to $60 (S/. 120-180) depending on the perceived 

origin of the mercury. Typically, “El Español,” also called “Torito” because of the bullfight scene on the 

bottle, is the preferred brand and sells for as much as $60 (S/. 180) per kg. At some shops in artisanal 

mining areas, signs are posted that indicate that “good Spanish mercury” is sold. The name and label 

imply, and users commonly assume that “El Español” is “Spanish mercury;” however, based on distributor 

contact information on the bottle, Peruvian Customs data show that this is not mercury from Spain and this 

22
mercury may either be recycled mercury from the United States or virgin or recycled mercury from 

Kyrgyzstan. Local newspapers, such as “El Minero Artesanal” carry advertisements for mining supplies, 

quimbaletes, and azogue. 

A 100-g plastic bottle of triple-distilled mercury, marked as imported from the United States, and 

sold in one of the many dental supply stores in the 200 block of Av. Emancipación in Lima cost 

approximately $7 (S/. 22) in February 2007. 

In artisanal mining areas in nearby Brazil, a kilogram of mercury may sell for as much as $250 (L. 

Fernandez, regional specialist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., oral commun., 

August 28, 2007). 

Mercury Stocks 

The Government of Peru maintains no stockpile of mercury (M. Yepez, economist, oral commun., 

U.S. Embassy, Lima, February 8, 2007); however, for comparison, 4,436 t of mercury are held by the 

Defense Logistics Agency (U.S. Department of Defense) and 1,206 t of mercury left from 1950s research 

on lithium isotopes for bomb production are held by the U.S. Department of Energy. Approximately 3,000 

t of mercury is held in the cells of the remaining 9 mercury-cell chlor-alkali plants in the United States. 

Mercury-cell technology is used by Quimpac S.A., a major supplier of chlorine and caustic soda; 

however, the amount of mercury in the cells, or stocks, was not available (Isias Flit, advisor, Quimpac 

S.A., oral commun., February 14, 2007). An unknown amount of mercury was on hand at dental supply 

shops, dentists’ offices, and importers and suppliers of mercury for artisanal gold mining. 

Other Mercury Releases and Uses 

Cremation 

Mercury fumes may be released from mercury-silver dental amalgam during cremation, and 

crematoriums in the United States may emit as much as 145 kg/yr of mercury (Chea, 2007). A study of 

mercury and the cremation process in the United Kingdom indicated that approximately 11 kg of mercury 

was released from one crematorium chimney in 1 year (Mills, 1990). A site visit to a funeral agency in 

Trujillo indicated that cremation was not commonly used in Peru; however, the deceased’s family had the 

right to make the decision regarding removal of gold, platinum, or silver dental work from the deceased. 

During the time of the site visit, cremations were suspended because the fuel used gave an undesirable 

black smoke (Jorge Garcia, administrator, Cementerio de Miraflores, Trujillo, oral commun., February 5, 

2007). Mercury released from amalgam during cremation was not a concern. 

Fireworks 

Studies in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1996 showed that airborne levels of mercury, cadmium, lead, 

and other metals were 4 to 5 times higher than normal after a fireworks display (Fireworks, 2007; U.S. 

Fireworks, 2007). Fireworks are made and sold in clandestine shops in Lima and in Juliaca. A fire at one 

of these shops in Lima in 2001 resulted in the deaths of 250 people (Stevenson, 2001). There is no 

information on the quantity of metals or metal compounds on hand that are used to color locally made 

fireworks. 

23
Laboratories 

School chemistry labs and other laboratories may have stocks of mercury on hand in 

thermometers, hygrometers, or in bulk. Releases of mercury from broken thermometers is a concern 

because mercury readily volatizes at room temperature (Putman, 1972, p. 513). For example, mercury 

from a Washington, D.C., high school lab was stolen and spread around the school which caused 

evacuation and closure of the school (Fahrenthold, 2003). An elementary school classroom in Leesburg, 

Va, was quarantined after grade school children were found playing with mercury (Chandler, 2007). There 

was no information available on the quantity of mercury held in high school and other labs in Peru. 

Landfills 

Site visits were made to landfills, landfill offices, and recycling centers in Lima and Trujillo. At 

the recycling center for Trujillo, at Km 571 Panamericana Norte, aluminum cans, cardboard, and plastic 

bottles were separated for recycling. At the Relima “Portillo Grande” landfill, near Lurín (south of Lima), 

from 1,500 to 2,000 t of waste are received per day from Lima. This is an arid area and this particular 

landfill has no impermeable plastic layers or a system to trap leachate or test groundwater (Craig and 

others, 2001, p. 116). Waste material is deposited directly on a clay layer that is estimated to be 70-meters 

thick. There is a medical waste area where, if identified, some mercury-containing waste material may be 

placed (Odilon Amado, manager, Relima, oral commun., February 15, 2007). A visit was also made to the 

Gerencia de Medio Ambiente (Municipalidad de Surco) in Lima, a recycling center where glass and 

plastic materials are recycled (Julio Dávalos, manager, Gerencia de Medio Ambiente, oral commun., 

February 15, 2007). In general, at the three sites visited, no provisions are made to remove or recycle 

mercury-containing materials such as amalgam, batteries, electronic waste, fluorescent lamps, 

thermometers, or toys. 

Neon lights 

Argon, neon, and mercury are used as fill to provide color in neon lighting, and out of 44 lamp 

styles listed on one website, 37 of these used argon/mercury fill (Depue, 2001; Lite Brite Neon, 2007). 

These lamps may last 25 years or longer. Neon lights are commonly used at restaurants and casinos in 

Lima; however, there is no information on the source, stock on hand, or amount of mercury used in these 

lamps. 

Paint 

A site visit to several hardware stores indicated that mercury-containing paints are not used. Mold 

and mildew, when present, are treated by sealants. 

Conclusion 

Mercury has been used for ancient and modern artisanal gold production in Peru, and today 

mercury is an important byproduct from Peru’s large scale gold mines. Releases of mercury occur from 

artisanal gold mining and from broken fluorescent lamps, batteries, and dental amalgam that are put into 

the waste stream without reclamation or recycling of the mercury. Much of the mercury used for artisanal 

gold mining, chlor-alkali production, and the mercury contained in these mercury-containing products 

could be recycled. However, at present, there are no recycling facilities in place in Peru nor is there 

legislation in place, or pending, which would require tracking or recycling of mercury. 

24
Peru is a world leader in precious metals production and has the potential to become a world leader 

in mercury stewardship. As Peru’s byproduct mercury is transported and used internationally, its mercurycontaining waste, with appropriate legislation, could also be sent to recycling centers worldwide for 

reclamation and recycling of the mercury. 

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Tables (1-15)

29
Table 1. Salient Mercury Statistics1 

[Metric tons unless otherwise specified; eEstimated; rRevised; NA not available or not applicable; --no data [Source: 

Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas del Perú]

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Peru:

 Primary production -- -- -- -- --

 Secondary production, mine byproduct -- 19 -- 128 22

 Imports for consumption 63 94 84 88 85

 Exports 124 66 58 105 24

 Industry stocks, yearend NA NA NA NA NA

 Industrial consumption NA NA NA NA NA

 Price, average, free market (dollars per flask) 140 140 365 555 670

 World mine productione 1,490 1,370 1,890 1,680 1,480 1

Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits, except prices.

2

Stocks at consumers and dealers not available. Mine stocks withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data.

3

Source: Platts Metals Week.

30
Table 2. Imports and Exports of Mercury, by Country

 [Metric tons and thousand dollars; --no data; Source: Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas del Peru] 

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Country Quantity Value Quantity Value Quantity Value Quantity Value Quantity Value

Imports:

 Algeria -- -- -- -- 21 156 4 113 2 45

 Austria -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- (1) 1

 Czech Republic 2 8 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

 Germany -- -- 8 50 2 17 -- -- (1) --

 India -- -- -- -- -- -- (1) 1 -- --

 Japan (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

 Kyrgyzstan -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 8 160

 Mexico -- -- (1) 3 -- -- -- -- (1) --

 Netherlands 9 38 2 11 -- -- -- -- 2 38

 Spain 30 147 44 270 16 124 21 469 19 342

 United States 23 55 39 174 45 84 62 129 54 250

 Total 64 248 93 508 84 381 87 712 85 836

Exports:

 Brazil -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 1 27

 Columbia -- -- -- -- -- -- 3 17 1 4

 Ecuador -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

 Guyana -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 1 20

 Spain 106 -- 53 -- 45 -- -- -- -- --

 United States 18 13 13 10 12 86 102 1,385 22 209

 Total 124 13 66 10 57 86 105 1,402 25 260 1

Less than 1⁄2 unit.

31
Table 3. Imports of Mercury by Country of Origin

 [Metric tons; Source: Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas del Perú]

Use Importer Exporter Country Quantity Value1

Artisanal Gold Mining:

 Recycled: Mercantil S.A. Millenium Chemical Inc. Algeria 2 $44,000

Mercantil S.A. Millenium Chemical Inc. United States 1 16,626

Triveño Mercury Corporation Bethlhem Apparatus Company, Inc. United States 5 81,750

Torres Rojas Aldo Orlando Millenium Trading Inc. United States 5 21,390

J.H. Minerals Millenium Trading Inc. United States 3 10,350

Torres Rojas Aldo Orlando Millenium Trading Inc. United States 4 17,250

J.H. Minerals Millenium Trading Inc. United States 2 6,900

Triveño Mercury Corporation U.S. Chemical & Metal Company United States 5 23,288

Torres Rojas Aldo Orlando Millenium Trading Inc. United States 2 6,900

J.H. Minerals Millenium Trading Inc. United States 2 6,900

Triveño Mercury Corporation NA United States 2 6,533

Torres Rojas Aldo Orlando Millenium Trading Inc. United States 2 3,892

Triveño Mercury Corporation NA United States 3 7,050

Torres Rojas Aldo Orlando Millenium Trading Inc. United States 2 2,949

Triveño Mercury Corporation U.S. Chemical & Metal Company United States 3 5,920

Triveño Mercury Corporation U.S. Chemical & Metal Company United States 10 17,760

Triveño Mercury Corporation NA United States 3 4,472

 Virgin: M & M Trading S.R.L. Minas de Almaden y Arrayanes S.A. Spain 3 58,930

M & M Trading S.R.L. Minas de Almaden y Arrayanes S.A. Spain 3 58,930

M & M Trading S.R.L. Minas de Almaden y Arrayanes S.A. Spain 2 27,775

M & M Trading S.R.L. Minas de Almaden y Arrayanes S.A. Spain 2 27,775

M & M Trading S.R.L. Minas de Almaden y Arrayanes S.A. Spain 2 29,465

M & M Trading S.R.L. Minas de Almaden y Arrayanes S.A. Spain 2 35,275

M & M Trading S.R.L. Minas de Almaden y Arrayanes S.A. Spain 3 70,595

 Recycled and Virgin: Mercantil S.A. Millenium Chemical Inc. Kyrgystan 1 15,960

Mercantil S.A. Millenium Chemical Inc. Kyrgystan (2) 6,650

Mercantil S.A. Millenium Chemical Inc. Kyrgystan 1 15,960

Mercantil S.A. Millenium Chemical Inc. Kyrgystan 1 15,960

Mercantil S.A. Millenium Chemical Inc. Kyrgystan 1 16,124

Mercantil S.A. Millenium Chemical Inc. Kyrgystan 1 16,124

Mercantil S.A. Millenium Chemical Inc. Kyrgystan 2 32,248

Mercantil S.A. Millenium Chemical Inc. Kyrgystan 1 $16,124

Mercantil S.A. Millenium Chemical Inc. Kyrgystan 2 32,248

Mercantil S.A. Millenium Chemical Inc. Kyrgystan 1 16,124

 Chlor-alkali production: Kossodo S.A.C. Productos Quimicos Monterrey, S.A. Mexico (2) 260

Quimpac S.A. NA Netherlands 2 
37,410

 Dental: Triveño Mercury Corporation NA United States NA NA

 Medical: Cimatec S.A.C. Sigma-Aldrich Chemie GMBH Austria -- 41

Cimatec S.A.C. Sigma-Aldrich Chemie GMBH Austria (2) 453

Merck Peruana S.A. Merck KGAA Germany -- 58

Merck Peruana S.A. Merck KGAA Germany -- 126

Merck Peruana S.A. Merck KGAA Germany (2) 230

 Total 86 814,775 1

Free on board.

2

Less than 1⁄2 unit.

32
Table 4. Import Prices per Kilogram, 2004-2007

 [Dollars and kilograms, unless otherwise specified; --no data; Source: EQUIFAX (formerly known as 

INFOCORP)].

Purchaser Value1 Value2 Quantity

Dollars per 

kilogram 

(kg)3

2004:

 Mercantil S.A. $156,639.92 $149,838 20,709 $7.56

 M & M Trading S.R.L. 110,484.98 108,689 14,630 7.55

 DFG Mercury Corporation del Peru E.I.R.L. 83,304.66 77,854 45,232 1.84

 Quimpac, S.A. 29,289.99 27,999 3,450 8.48

2005:

 J & C Aurysur S.C.R.L. 286,535.00 284,022 12,765 22.44

 M & M Trading S.R.L. 124,755.00 123,076 6,038 20.66

 Mercantil S.A. 112,977.72 111,639 4,002 28.23

 Triveño Mercury Corporation 112,623.53 105,845 61,306 1.83

 Aurimetal E.I.R.L. 57,375.00 56,796 2,588 22.17

 Corporación Reggiper S.A. 15,693.90 15,300 900 17.43

2006:

 M & M Trading S.R.L. 341,971.28 338,210 18,975 18.02

 Mercantil S.A. 221,163.61 218,385 10592 20.88

 Triveño Mercury Corporation 152,216.53 146,772 31,913 4.76

 Torres Rojas Aldo Orlando 55,386.23 52,381 15,387 3.59

 Quimpac, S.A. 38,311.15 37,410 1,725 22.20

 J.H. Minerals E.I.R.L. 25,682.25 24,150 6,038 4.25

2007 (January-March):

 M & M Trading S.R.L. 89,325.00 88,395 5,175 17.26

 Mercantil S.A. 22,211.31 21,945 1,139 19.50

 Torres Rojas Aldo Orlando 20,289.87 19,458 4,865 4.17

 J.H. Minerals E.I.R.L. 10,955.25 10,350 2,588 4.23 1

Including cost, insurance, freight.

2

Free on board.

3

Rounded, based on value, including cost, insurance, and freight.

33
Table 5. Import Mercury Average Price 2004-2007

 [Source: EQUIFAX (formerly known as INFOCORP)]

Year Dollars per flask Dollars per kilogram

2004 $365 $11

2005 555 16

2006 670 19

2007 (January-March) 600 17

34
Table 6. Exports of Mercury by Country of Destination

 [Metric tons and dollars; Source: Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas del Perú]

Country of Destination/Port Exporter Quantity Value

Brazil/Rio De Janeiro Triveño Mercury (1) $9,208

Triveño Mercury (1) 9,202

Triveño Mercury (1) 9,000

Colombia/Buenaventura Triveño Mercury 1 4,000

Guyana/Georgetown Triveño Mercury 1 20,000

United States/New York Minera Yanacocha S.R.L. 6 53,654

Minera Yanacocha S.R.L. 8 65,920

Minera Yanacocha S.R.L. 8 89,413

 Total 22 208,987 1

Less than one half unit.

35
Table 7. Imports of Fluorescent Lamps by Country

 [-- no data]

Country

Quantity, (metric

tons)

 C.I.F.1 Total 

(thousands)

Imports:

 Argentina (2) 5,280

 Bolivia -- 3,462

 Brazil 200 638,517

 Canada 3 12,361

 China 797 3,783,930

 Columbia 42 96,817

 Czech Republic (2) 1,394

 Denmark (2) 65

 France 31 210,348

 Germany 26 218,478

 Hungary 104 369,112

 Indonesia 3 20,353

 Italy 4 44,492

 Japan (2) 3,758

 Mexico 3 5,677

 Netherlands 38 205,894

 Poland 441 1,418,770

 Republic of Korea 1 9,677

 Russia (2) 404

 Singapore (2) 1,208

 Spain (2) 1,974

 Switzerland (2) 990

 Taiwan 9 27,954

 Thailand 175 901,006

 United Kingdom (2) 1,202

 United States 20 115,522

 Total 1,866 8,098,645

1

Cost insurance freight.

2

Less than 1⁄2 unit.

36
Table 8. Imports of Fluorescent Lamps by Company

[Metric tons and dollars; --no data. Source: Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas del 

Perú]

Company Quantity Total value1 

Philips Peruana S.A. 1,028 $5,417,983

GE Lighting Peru S.A. 247 1,231,363

Dekatec S.A.C. 44 290,928

Importaciones Megalo S.A.C. 101 105,054

Comercial Bella-Sur E.I.R.L. 53 90,021

Consorcio Comercial Lung S.A.C. 13 51,506

MHT Corporation E.I.R.L. 27 46,636

Celszen Representaciones S.A.C. 9 45,821

Fenix Trading Soc.Com.De Resp. Ltda. 22 36,507

Ferre Import S.A.C. 32 35,360

Koller S R Ltda. 16 35,233

C&K Importadores S.A.C. 9 35,156

Comercial Industrial Selva S.A. 12 34,648

Anna Import S.R.L. 28 30,616

Fahan S.A.C. 8 22,299

Representaciones Ferretera S.R.L. 8 20,445

Comercial Vilca S.A. 10 18,840

Southern Peru Copper Corporation (2) 17,811

Sun Light S.A.C. 11 16,723

Corporacion E. Wong S.A.C. 3 16,469

J P & CIA E.I.R.L. 9 14,095

Importaciones Togen S.R.L. 15 13,347

Anicama Correa Daniel 14 13,185

Tech Pak S.A. (2) 12,294

Homelight Peru S.A.C. 2 11,600

Peruvian Alliance SOC. Anonima Cerrada 1 10,889

Gulda Agro Selva S.A.C. 3 10,850

Representaciones RAE S.R.L. 4 10,452

Metropolis Import Export E.I.R.L. 7 10,157

J Y J Importaciones S.A.C. 5 9,970

Autorex Peruana S.A. (2) 8,720

Sodimac Perú S.A. 1 7,387

Pulsar Import E.I.R.L. 5 7,335

Cruz Montesinos Ricardo Celestino 9 7,322

Minera Barrick Misquichilca S.A. (2) 7,124

Invercom Yerat S.A.C. 5 7,019

H Y L Imports S.A.C. 4 6,659

Gonzales Caro Jimmy 8 6,342

La Piramide Importaciones S.R.L. 8 6,269

Perales Huancaruna S.A.C. (2) 5,399

Sociedad Quimica Mercantil S.A. (2) 5,382

Davisco S.A. (2) 5,280

Logic Games Peru S.A.C (2) 5,230

EGT Eximport E.I.R.L. 4 4,543

Schonimex S.A.C. (2) 3,462

Corporacion Jose R. Lindley S.A. (2) 3,373

Arrese Cavero Nancy Aida 1 2,973

Blitzkrieg S.A.C. 2 2,847

CP & C Comercial S.A.C. 2 2,257

Fajardo Esteves Cesar Augusto (2) 2,116

Wing WA S.R.L. 2 2,016

Representaciones Martin S.R.L. (2) 1,949

Mixtel S.A.C. (2) 1,865

Pisconte Gutierrez Laura Evelyn 1 1,864

37
Table 8. Imports of Fluorescent Lamps by Company—Continued

Company Quantity Total value1 

Pyetrex S.A. (2) 1,671

Distribuidora Y Serv. Graf. Lch E.I.R.L. (2) 1,659

NCR Del Perú S.A. (2) 1,645

Grupo Fenix E.I.R.L. 1 1,639

Castillo Jimenez Fidencio 1 1,478

Industrias del Envase S.A. (2) 1,451

Windows Business Import Export E.I.R.L. 1 1,413

Compania de Servicios cosmos S.A. (2) 1,363

Fluor Daniel Sucursal del Perú (2) 1,355

Variedades Yhelsin' S.R.L. 1 1,334

Quebecor World Perú S.A. (2) 1,300

Lighting Camera S.A. (2) 1,225

Hilite S.A.C. (2) 1,224

Centro Papelero S.A.C. (2) 1,175

Electro Daylum E.I.R.L. 1 1,115

Corporacion Fabril de Confecciones S.A. (2) 1,047

Cía. Ind. Textil Credisa-Trutex S.A. (2) 990

C.I. Grafinal del Perú S.A.C. (2) 939

America Sam S.A.C. (2) 925

Video Broadcast S.A. (2) 883

Amalur Industrial S.A. (2) 850

Banco Continental (2) 835

Gloria S.A. (2) 735

Lanatta Rivarola Fernando Alberto (2) 696

Mullisaca Quispe Teresa 1 683

Hotelera Costa del Pacifico S.A. (2) 679

Importaciones E L Figueroa S.R.L. (2) 659

Laupa Ayquipa Lucio Eloy (2) 638

Specchi Sociedad Anonima Cerrada (2) 635

OHMLUX S.A.C. (2) 569

Saxon Services del Perú S.A. (2) 521

Ferreyros S.A. (2) 513

Xerox del Perú S.A. (2) 493

Peruplast S.A. (2) 425

Obras Y Servicios Petroleros S.A.C. (2) 424

Protecnia Amazon S.A.C. (2) 413

Datacont S.A.C. (2) 412

Importad y Exportadora Ferrochiang E.I.R.L. (2) 405

Importaciones & Tecnologias S.R.L. (2) 380

El Tumi Perú S.R.L. (2) 370

Eesaperu S.A.C. (2) 363

Chen Zhimin (2) 316

Importaciones y Representaciones Medico Dental S.R.L. (2) 291

Cia. Internacional del Café S.A.C. (2) 285

Euro Motors S.A. -- 284

Cetres Post-Producciones S.A. (2) 279

IBM del Perú S.A.C. (2) 278

Valtri S.A. (2) 276

Asea Brown Boveri S.A. (2) 254

Universal de Desarrollos Electronicos Perú S.A. (2) 251

Briggitte Import Export E.I.R.L. (2) 250

EECOL Electric Perú S.A.C. (2) 232

Biocon del Perú S.A.C. (2) 228

Triton Trading S.R.L. (2) 224

Dicom Ingenieros S.R.L. (2) 208

38
Table 8. Imports of Fluorescent Lamps by Company—Continued

Company Quantity Total value1 

Omega Perú S.A. (2) 193

Unitex Global S.A. (2) 175

Telvicom S.A. (2) 173

G Y M S.A. (2) 165

Petro Tech Peruana S.A. (2) 161

Empresa Algodonera S.A. (2) 157

Dimatic S.A.C (2) 153

Química Suiza S.A. -- 151

Yap Inga Yandy 1 151

American Industrial Equipment S.A.C. (2) 147

Exportimo S.A.C. (2) 133

Siemens Building Technologies S.A. (2) 116

Guillermo Li S.A.C. (2) 114

Exclusive Import S.A.C. (2) 111

Laura Janco Jesús Santos (2) 107

Import & Export China Comercial Central S.A.C. (2) 102

Topsa Productos Opticos S.A. -- 98

Merck Peruana S.A. -- 96

Country Home S.A. (2) 90

BSH Electrodomesticos S.A.C. (2) 83

World Casino Technology E.I.R.L. (2) 68

Prelatura de Huari (2) 68

Soc.Promotora de Import.Export.S.A.C. (2) 67

Sweden Spare Parts S.A.C. (2) 62

Corporación Cerámica S.A. -- 61

H.W.Kessel S.A.C. (2) 60

Tecnología Digital Victoria Perú S.A.C. -- 52

Modular Mining Systems Sociedad Comercial de -- 51

Heidelberg Perú S.A. (2) 46

Machines Los Andes Slots S.A.C. (2) 42

Logicorp S.A. -- 37

Internacional Colección Cristina S.R.L. -- 32

San Fernando S.A. -- 32

Peru Office S.A. -- 31

Fashionlight S.A.C. (2) 29

Tetra Pak S.A. -- 29

Servicios Electrónicos Integrales S.A. (2) 29

Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia -- 25

Milano Sport S.A.C. (2) 20

America Ret Maquinarias S.A.C. (2) 19

Epson Perú S.A (2) 18

Indio Feliz E.I.R.L (2) 16

Evolution Games S.A.C. -- 16

Marmolería Gallos S.A. (2) 15

Sony Sucursal del Peru -- 13

Senwest International S.R.L. (2) 11

Atronic Perú S.A. -- 10

ZS Motor S S.A.C. (2) 10

Millennium Game S.A.C. (2) 8

Team Computer S.A.C -- 6

Turbogeneradores del Perú S.A.C. -- 3

Club de Leones de Iquitos -- 1

 Total3 1,900 8,098,646

1

Including cost, insurance, freight.

2

Less than 1⁄2 unit.

3Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.

39
Table 9. Imports of Non-Electric Thermometers by Company

 [Metric tons and dollars; --no data]

Company Quantity Total value1

Empressa Eléctrica de Piura S.A 1 $179,037

Asea Brown Boveri S.A. (2) 70,629

Banco Internacional del Perú-Interbank (2) 70,475

Industrial Control's S.A.C. 1 39,091

Petro Tech Peruana S.A. (2) 35,663

Consultec y Servicios S.A. 1 33,513

Corporacíon Infarmasa S.A. (2) 27,405

Emp Reg de Serv Público de Electricdad (2) 21,004

Rash Perú S.A.C. 1 15,961

Importécnia S.A. (2) 14,411

Josiel S.A.C. 1 12,787

Banco de Crédito del Perú (2) 11,933

Ferreyros S.A. (2) 11,684

Mitsui Maquinarias Perú S.A. (2) 11,371

Energia del Sur S.A. 1 10,961

Valvulas (2) 10,389

EPLI S.A.C. (2) 10,099

Motores Diesel Andinos S.A.- Modasa (2) 9,530

Controlmatic S.A.C. (2) 8,770

Metso Minerals ( Perú ) S.A. (2) 7,673

Sandvik del Perú S.A. (2) 7,582

Duke Energy International Egenor S.A.-Egenor S.A. (2) 7,269

Omega Perú S.A. (2) 6,591

Logytec S.R.L. (2) 6,459

Textil el Amazonas S.A. (2) 6,113

Gobierno Regional Piura -- 5,866

Logindustrias S.R.L. (2) 5,416

Industrias EKA del Perú S.A. (2) 5,039

Tetra Pak S.A. (2) 4,827

Termofix Sociedad Comercial de Responsabilidad Limitada (2) 4,530

EMP Concesionaria de Elect de Ucayali S.A. (2) 4,529

Importadora Andina E.I.R.L. (2) 4,502

Construcciónes Electromecánicas Delcrosa S.A. 1 4,352

Noble Equipment & Services S.A.C. (2) 3,591

Praxair Perú S.A. (2) 3,458

Southern Peru Copper Corporation (2) 3,439

Gloria S.A. (2) 3,431

Prosemedic S.A. (2) 3,346

Citibank N.A. Sucursal de Lima (2) 3,344

Jose Luís López Aguirre S.A. (2) 3,301

Venture Management Consultants Enterprises Peru S.R.L (2) 3,244

Refinería la Pampilla S.A. (2) 3,068

Complejo Agroindustrial Cartavio S.A. (2) 3,041

Inversiones Interamericanas S.A. (2) 3,007

M & M Repuestos y Servicios S.A. (2) 2,994

Siemens Building Technologies S.A. (2) 2,730

Filamentos Industriales S.A. (2) 2,716

Higseg E.I.R.L. (2) 2,571

Sullair del Pacifico S.A.C. (2) 2,515

International Tool & Supply del Peru S.A. (2) 2,266

Repuestos Nuevos S.A. (RENU S.A. ) (2) 2,111

Procesadora de Gas Parinas S.A.C. (2) 2,110

40
Table 9. Imports of Non-Electric Thermometers by Company—Continued

Company Quantity Total value1

Edegel S.A. (2) 2,087

AWS Consulting S.A.C. (2) 2,079

Ferrier S.A. (2) 2,064

Industria Textil Piura S.A. (2) 1,968

Aparatos y Conecciónes a Gas S.A. (2) 1,909

Pluspetrol Norte S.A. (2) 1,908

San Fernando S.A. (2) 1,893

G Y M S.A. (2) 1,845

Serv y Representaciones Asociadas S.A. (2) 1,834

A.B.Importaciones Industriales Sociedad (2) 1,784

Science and Technology Training E.I.R.L. (2) 1,774

Energotec S.A.C. (2) 1,721

Arin S.A. (2) 1,619

Generadores de Vapor y Equipos Afines S.A. (2) 1,606

Guillermo Li S.A.C. (2) 1,571

Eléctrica Optimización S.A. (2) 1,553

Schlúmberger del Perú S.A. (2) 1,539

Classic Chocolat Nelly E.I.R.L. (2) 1,254

Fluor Daniel Sucursal del Peru (2) 1,372

Aliaga Marro Milágros del Carmen (2) 1,295

Lima Caucho S.A. (2) 1,247

Gnio Comercial S.A. (2) 1,197

Cia. Ind. Textil Credisa-Trutex S.A. (2) 1,113

Promotores Eléctricos S.A. (2) 1,107

Artículos Importados SRL (2) 1,092

Thissen del Perú S.A. (2) 1,089

Pluspetrol Perú Corporation S.A. (2) 1,078

Masias Marrou Manuel Estuardo (2) 1,058

Agrovet Market S.A (2) 1,047

Diseños y Equipamientos S.A.C. (2) 1,033

Companía Cervecera Aambev Perú S.A.C. (2) 986

Samy Import S.R.L. (2) 954

Sunshine Export S.A.C (2) 927

Nuñez Alarcón E.I.R.L. (2) 905

3M Perú S.A. (2) 895

Burns Philp Perú S.A.C. (2) 889

V & Q Instrumentos y Maquinarias Industriales (2) 869

Importaciónes Racing S.A.C. (2) 792

Pathros Representaciones S.A. (2) 771

Unión de Cerveza Peruana Backus y Johnston S.A. (2) 749

Texgroup S.A. (2) 740

Pesquera Carola S.A.C. (2) 726

Fabricá de Cintas Arbona S.A. (2) 666

A. Jaime Rojas Representaciónes Generales S.A. (2) 651

Marco Peruana S.A. (2) 617

Emerson Energy Systems del Perú S.A.C (2) 617

Kossodo S.A.C. (2) 613

Doe Run PerúS.R.L. (2) 612

Importaciónes Gala Empresa Individual de Responsabilidad (2) 580

I.C.C. Perú S.A.C. (2) 562

Instrumentos y Sistemas E.I.R.L. (2) 558

G.R Tech S.A (2) 550

NPI Perú S.A.C. (2) 546

41
Table 9. Imports of Non-Electric Thermometers by Company—Continued

Company Quantity Total value1

Mercantil Interamericana S.A. (2) 533

Importaciónes Togen S.R.L. (2) 510

Construcciónes Peruanas S.A. (2) 488

Diveimport S.A. (2) 482

Talleres Reunidos E.I.R.L. (2) 474

Textiles Camones S.A. (2) 439

Fundición Central S.A. (2) 412

Corporación E. Wong S.A.C. (2) 407

Motores y Maquinarias S.A.C. (2) 405

York International S.R.L. (2) 402

Sociedad Minera Cerro Verde S.A. (2) 399

Consorcio Neshuya (2) 379

Mercantil S.A. (2) 351

Saeg Perú S.A. (2) 349

Frigorífico de Hielo S.A. (2) 347

Alicorp S.A. (2) 340

Inchcape Motors Perú S.A. (2) 320

Schmalbach-Lubeca Plast.Contai.D.Perú S.A. (2) 316

J.A.O.R. Representaciónes E.I.R.L. -- 312

Minera Aurífera Retamas S.A. (2) 309

Acuario Real S.R.L. (2) 306

Servicios Petroleros y Anexos S.R.L. (2) 302

Asensores S.A. (2) 290

Fuel Injection Cano S.R.L. (2) 284

Catalina Huanca Sociedad Minera S.A.C. (2) 279

Automotriz General del Peru S.A. (2) 268

Geotec S.A. (2) 266

Cold International S.A. (2) 265

A & A Representaciónes y Servicios S.R.L. -- 259

Petrex S.A. (2) 258

M & M Appliance Parts S.R.L. (2) 243

Bionet S.A. (2) 233

Maquinaria Nacional S.A. (2) 224

Brammertz Ingenieros S.A. (2) 215

Mantenimento Industrial y Comercial S.A.C. (2) 215

Imcetron S.R.L. (2) 209

Robocon Servicios S.A.C. (2) 208

Minera Yanacocha S.R.L. -- 201

Maersk Perú S.A. O ALCONSA (2) 165

Tumi Contratistas Mineros S.A.C. (2) 164

Química Service S.R.L. -- 160

Cafe Britt Perú S.A.C. (2) 153

Igardi Herramientas S.A. (2) 149

H Y S International S.A. -- 140

Granja Santa Rosa S.A.C. (2) 124

Olivera Sulca Lourdes Gloria (2) 115

Minas y Concentradoras S.A. (2) 114

M I Overseas Limited Surcursal del Peru (2) 112

Instruments Lab S.A.C. (2) 108

General House de Comercio Industrial S.A.C. (2) 105

Cemento Andino S.A. (2) 98

Meg Energy S.A.C. (2) 97

42
Table 9. Imports of Non-Electric Thermometers by Company—Continued

Company Quantity Total value1

Bradley MDH S.A.C. (2) 97

Unión de Concreteras S.A -- 95

Tognetti S.A. (2) 92

Saidel S.A. (2) 89

MC Trade S.A.C. (2) 84

Volvo Perú S.A. (2) 80

Agrogenetica S.A.C. (2) 80

Medicos Sin Fronteras Belgica (2) 75

Liftoil S.A. Sucursal Perú (2) 72

Inversiones Brencar E.I.R.L. -- 70

UNIMAQ S.A. (2) 70

Sistemas Industriales y Tecnológicos S.A (2) 57

Operaciones Arcos Dorados de Perú S.A. (2) 57

Inst. Educac. Franklin Delano Roosevelt (2) 53

Refrigeración Oscco E.I.R.L. (2) 50

Tecnoimagen del Perú S.A. -- 49

La Madrid Gonzales Raul Guillermo (2) 47

H.W.Kessel S.A.C. -- 42

Inversíones Avicolas S.A. (2) 37

Alfa Laval S.A. -- 33

C & CC International S.A.C. (2) 32

Glaxosmithkline Perú S.A. (2) 32

MGM Consultores y Contratistas Generales S.A. (2) 31

Agromotors E.I.R.L. (2) 30

Ceyesa Ingeniería Electrica (2) 28

Hewlett-Packard del Perú S.A. -- 26

Pacific Interproducts S.A.C. (2) 23

Digital Peruana E.I.R.L. (2) 17

Servimatic S.A.C. (2) 16

Spena Fish Aquacultura S.R.L. -- 16

BSH Eletrodomesticos S.A.C. (2) 14

Artiglas S.A. (2) 11

Belnet Perú S.A.C. -- 11

Importaciones Dega Empresa Individual (2) 10

Tecnología E Ingeñieria de Fluidos S.A.C. -- 10

G.W. Yichang & Cia S.A. (2) 6

Química Suiza S.A. -- 5

 Total3 14 828,950

1

Including cost, insurance, freight.

2

Less than 1⁄2 unit.

3

Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals 

43
Table 10. Imports of Batteries, Manganese Dioxide, 

Alkaline

[Metric tons and dollars; Source: Superintendencia 

Nacional de Aduanas del Perú]

Country Quantity Value

 Australia (1) $33

 China 338 3,021,057

 Germany 2 20,135

 Indonesia 2 12,012

 Japan 1 6,446

 Korea, North (1) 22

 Korea, Republic of (1) 1,262

 Malaysia 1 25,285

 Singapore 95 562,902

 Spain (1) 373

 Switzerland (1) 300

 United States 69 562,218

 Total2 509 4,212,045 1

Less than 1⁄2 unit.

2

Data rounded to no more than three significant digits 

may not add to totals shown.

44
Table 11. Imports of Other Batteries, Manganese 

Dioxide, Alkaline

[Metric tons and dollars; --no data; Source: 

Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas del Perú]

Country Quantity Value

 Australia -- $9

 Belgium -- 19

 China 7 91,831

 Germany (1) 1,132

 Japan (1) 765

 Malaysia (1) 4,502

 Taiwan (1) 771

 United States 7 68,167

 Total2 14 167,198 1

Less than 1⁄2 unit.

2

Data are rounded to no more than three significant 

digits; may not add to totals shown.

45
Table 12. Imports of Other Batteries, Manganese 

Dioxide, Cylindrical

 [Metric tons and dollars; Source: Superintendencia 

Nacional de Aduanas del Perú]

Country Quantity2 Value 

 Brazil 248 $475,161

 China 100 138,022

 Columbia 1,477 2,594,745

 India 37 37,552

 Indonesia 412 1,094,244

 Japan 124 138,320

 Korea, Republic of 17 22,954

 Total1 2,415 4,500,998

1

Data are rounded to no more than three significant 

digits; may not add to totals shown.

 2Quantity is gross weight.

46
Table 13. Harmonized Tariff Codes for All Batteries

[Source: Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas del Perú]

HTS Code Description

8506101100 Pilas y baterias de pilas, electricas, de dioxido de magnaneso, alcalinas, cilindrica

[Batteries, manganese dioxide, alkaline, cylindrical]

8506101200 Pilas y baterias de pilas, electricas, de dioxido de magnaneso, alcalinas, de "boton"

[Batteries, manganese dioxide, alkaline, "button"]

8506101900 Las demas pilas y baterias de pilas, electricas, de dioxido de magnaneso, alcalinas

[Other batteries, manganese dioxide, alkaline]

8506109100 Las demas pilas y baterias de pilas, electricas, de dioxido de magnaneso, cilindricas

[Other batteries, manganese dioxide, cylindrical]

8506109200 Las demas pilas y baterias de pilas, electricas, de dioxido de magnaneso, de "boton"

[Other batteries, manganese dioxide, "button"]

8506109900 Las demas pilas y baterias de pilas, electricas, de dioxido de magnaneso

[Other batteries, manganese dioxide]

8506111000 Pilas secas de menos de 1.5v, de dioxido de manganeso

[Dry batteries, less than 1.5v, manganese dioxide]

8506111001 Pilas secas de menos de 1.5v de dioxido de manganeso

[Dry batteries, less than 1.5v, manganese dioxide]

8506112000 Pilas secas de 1.5v o mas, de dioxido

[Dry batteries, more than 1.5v, manganese dioxide]

8506112001 Pilas secas de mas de 1.5v o mas de dioxido de manganeso

[Dry batteries, more than 1.5v, manganese dioxide]

8506119000 Las demas pilas o baterias de pilas, de dioxido de manganeso

[Other batteries, manganese dioxide]

8506119001 Las demas pilas o baterias de dioxido de manganeso

[Other batteries, manganese dioxide]

8506121000 Pilas secas de menos de 1.5v, de oxido de mercurio

[Dry batteries, less than 1.5v, mercury oxide]

8506122000 Pilas secas de mas de 1.5v, de oxido de mercurio

[Dry batteries, more than 1.5v, mercury dioxide]

8506129000 Las demas pilas o baterias de pilas, de oxido de mercurio

[Other batteries, mercury dioxide]

8506131000 Pilas secas de menos de 1.5v de oxido de plata

[Dry batteries, less than 1.5v, silver oxide]

8506132000 Pilas secas de 1.5v o mas, de oxido de plata

[Dry batteries, more than 1.5v, silver dioxide]

8506139000 La demas pilas o baterias de pilas, de oxido de plata

[Other batteries, silver dioxide]

8506191000 Las demas pilas secas de menos de 1.5v

[Other dry batteries, less than 1.5v]

8506191001 Pilas secas de menos de 1.5v

[Dry batteries less than 1.5v]

8506192000 Las demas pilas secas de menos de 1.5v

[Other dry batteries less than 1.5v]

8506192001 Pilas secas de 1.5v o mas

[Dry batteries, more than 1.5v]

8506199000 Las demas baterias

[Other batteries]

8506199001 Las demas pilas o baterias volumen exterior<= 300 cm3

[Other batteries, exterior volume of < 300 cm3]

8506201000 Pilas secas de menos de 1.5v, de volumen superior A 300 cm3

[Dry batteries, less than 1.5v, exterior volume >300 cm3]

8506201001 Pilas secas de menos de 1.5v volumen exterior > 300 cm3

[Dry batteries, less than 1.5v, exterior volume of > 300 cm3]

47
Table 13. Harmonized Tariff Codes for All Batteries—Continued

8506202000 Pilas secas de 1.5v o mas

[Batteries, more than 1.5v]

8506202001 "Pilas secas de 1.5v o mas volumen ex

[Dry batteries, more than 1.5v]

8506209000 Las demas pilas o baterias de pilas

[Other batteries]

8506209001 Las demas pilas o baterias de volumen exterior>300 cm3

[Other batteries, exterior volume of > 300 cm3]

8506301000 Pilas y baterias de pilas, electricas, de oxido de mercurio, cilindricas

[Batteries, mercury oxide, cylindrical]

8506302000 Pilas y baterias de pilas, electricas, de oxido de mercurio, de "boton"

[Batteries, mercury oxide, "button"]

8506309000 Las demas pilas y baterias de pilas, electricas, de oxido de mercurio

[Other batteries, mercury oxide]

8506401000 Pilas y baterias de pilas, electricas, de oxido de plata, cilidricas

[Batteries, silver oxide, cylindrical]

8506402000 Pilas y baterias de pilas, electricas, de oxido de plata, "boton"

[Batteries, silver oxide, "button"]

8506409000 Las demas pilas y baterias de pilas, electricas, de oxido de plata

[Other batteries, silver oxide]

8506501000 Pilas y baterias de pilas, electricas, de litio, cilindricas

[Batteries, lithium, cylindrical]

8506502000 Pilas y baterias de pilas, electricas, de litio, de "boton"

[Batteries, lithium, "button"]

8506509000 Las demas pilas y baterias de pilas, electricas, de litio

[Other batteries, lithium]

8506601000 Pilas y baterias de pilas, electricas, cinc, cilindricas

[Batteries, zinc, cylindrical]

8506602000 Pilas y baterias de pilas, electricas, cinc, de "boton"

[Batteries, zinc, "button"]

8506609000 Las demas pilas y baterias de pilas, elecricas, cinc

[Other batteries, zinc]

8506801000 Las demas pilas y baterias de pilas, electricas, cilindricas

[Other batteries, cylindrical]

8506802000 Las demas pilas y baterias de pilas, electricas, de "boton"

[Other batteries, "button"]

8506809000 Las demas pilas y baterias de pilas, electricas

[Other batteries]

48
Table 14. Imports of Batteries, Electrical 

[Metric tons and dollars; --no data; Source: 

Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas del Perú]

Country Quantity Value

 Brazil 1 $6,424

 France 1 281,899

 Germany -- 49

 Indonesia 16 59,998

 Japan (1) 169

 Taiwan -- 2

 United Kingdom (1) 26

 United States (1) 11

 Total 18 348,578 1

Less than 1⁄2 unit.

49
Table 15. Imports of Batteries, Lithium, Cylindrical

[Metric tons and dollars; --no data]

Country Quantity Value 

 China (1) $5,104

 France (1) 13,871

 Germany (1) 1,061

 Indonesia (1) 391

 Israel (1) 1,518

 Italy -- 79

 Japan 2 43,206

 Korea, Republic of (1) 1,973

 Phillapines (1) 1,930

 Singapore (1) 536

 Switzerland -- 26

 Taiwan (1) 86

 United Kingdom (1) 76,075

 United States 3 101,044

 Total2 5 246,900 1

Less than 1⁄2 unit.

2

Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; 

may not add to totals shown.

50