Latin America’s latest mining rankings contrast countries where mining dominates exports with those where absolute export value rules, putting copper-heavy Chile and Peru alongside smaller, more mining-dependent economies such as Bolivia. The infographic orders states first by mining’s share of total exports and then by the dollar value of those exports, clarifying where copper, iron ore, lithium, rare earths and specialty minerals most shape trade. With 2026 framed as a critical year in a global contest over critical mineral supply chains, the series tracks how shifting geopolitical alliances may affect project risk and offtake security.

Nouveau Monde Graphite is raising US$297 million as Italy’s Eni takes a 12% stake for US$70 million, alongside Canada Growth Fund (US$82 million), Investissement Québec (US$61 million) and an US$84 million bought-deal, completing a US$633 million financing package for the Matawinie graphite project in Quebec. The integrated development pairs the large-scale open-pit Matawinie mine, with capex of US$421 million, and a downstream anode material plant at Bécancour, bringing total mine‑plus‑plant capex to US$1.33 billion. Nouveau Monde has secured a 143,000 m² brownfield site at Bécancour for initial anode capacity dedicated to Panasonic Energy and targets a final investment decision in H2 2026, backed by US$335 million in senior debt from Export Development Canada and the Canada Infrastructure Bank.

Peru’s Ministry of Energy and Mines has revoked Southern Copper’s permit for the $1.8 billion Tía María project, citing missing legal justification, non-compliance with mining and administrative regulations, and incomplete technical plans for waste dump design and project scheduling. The open-pit mine in Arequipa, expected to produce 120,000 tonnes of copper per year over 20 years and reported 23% complete in October 2025, now faces a full technical viability reassessment. The decision adds to roughly $7 billion in stalled copper projects amid illegal mining and comes days before Peru’s presidential election, increasing uncertainty for long-term investment and project delivery.