Peru Precious Metal Ores HS261690 Export Data 2025 May Overview

Peru Precious Metal Ores (HS 261690) 2025 May Export: Key Takeaways

Peru's precious metal ores (HS Code 261690) export in May 2025 reveals extreme buyer concentration, with China Mainland dominating 99.78% of volume and 98.64% of value, signaling high market risk. The slight value-to-weight disparity suggests bulk purchases of lower-grade ores at 2.56 USD/kg, while India’s niche demand at 16.32 USD/kg hints at untapped premium opportunities. This analysis, covering May 2025, is based on cleanly processed Customs data from the yTrade database.

Peru Precious Metal Ores (HS 261690) 2025 May Export Background

What is HS Code 261690?

HS Code 261690 covers precious metal ores and concentrates, excluding silver, which are critical raw materials for industries like electronics, jewelry, and renewable energy. These ores, including gold and platinum group metals, are in steady global demand due to their use in high-value manufacturing and as safe-haven assets. Peru, a key producer, leverages its mineral-rich geology to supply these ores to international markets, particularly under HS Code 261690 in 2025.

Current Context and Strategic Position

In 2025, Peru’s trade policy focus has shifted toward agricultural exports, with a new U.S. tariff exemption covering 100 food products [Investing.com]. However, precious metal ores (HS Code 261690) remain strategically vital, as Peru competes with Ecuador, the global leader in this export category. The absence of recent policy changes for mineral ores in May 2025 underscores the need for market vigilance, especially given fluctuating commodity prices and evolving trade dynamics. Peru’s role as a supplier of precious metal ores under HS Code 261690 demands close monitoring to capitalize on stable industrial demand and geopolitical shifts.

Peru Precious Metal Ores (HS 261690) 2025 May Export: Trend Summary

Key Observations

In May 2025, Peru's exports of precious metal ores under HS Code 261690 totaled 290.41 million USD in value and 112.23 million kg in volume, indicating a rebound from the previous month.

Price and Volume Dynamics

Month-over-month, exports surged from April 2025, with value rising by approximately 77% and volume by 52%, reversing a sharp dip seen in April. This volatility aligns with typical mining output cycles for precious metal ores, where production can fluctuate due to operational adjustments, extraction rates, and inventory management. The data shows a pattern of peaks and troughs throughout early 2025, suggesting inherent instability in supply chains rather than a steady trend.

External Context and Outlook

While recent US tariff exemptions have focused on agricultural products [Investing.com], precious metal ores remain outside these changes, leaving exports influenced by broader factors like global commodity demand and currency effects. For the remainder of 2025, Peru's HS Code 261690 performance will likely hinge on industrial demand cycles and mining sector stability.

Peru Precious Metal Ores (HS 261690) 2025 May Export: HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

Peru's export of Precious metal ores under HS Code 261690 in May 2025 is overwhelmingly concentrated in one sub-category: "Precious metal ores and concentrates; (excluding silver)" (HS Code 2616901000). yTrade data shows this single product accounted for over 99% of the total export value and weight. It shipped at a unit price of $2.58 per kilogram, establishing it as the dominant, bulk-grade product for this trade.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The structure reveals two distinct product grades within this code. The vast majority is a standard, bulk commodity ore shipped in massive volumes. A separate, much smaller stream exists for a higher-grade concentrate (HS Code 2616909000), which commanded a significantly higher price of $9.82 per kilogram. This confirms the trade is for a fungible bulk material, where price is primarily driven by volume and metal content rather than advanced processing.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

For Peru Precious metal ores HS Code 261690 Export 2025 May, this structure indicates high volume leverage but limited pricing power, as the market is dominated by a low-value bulk product. The minor high-grade stream offers a niche premium opportunity. Recent US tariff exemptions [Investing.com] focus on agricultural goods, providing no direct support or new advantages for these mineral exports, leaving producers exposed to global commodity price cycles.

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Peru Precious Metal Ores (HS 261690) 2025 May Export: Market Concentration

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

Peru's export of precious metal ores under HS Code 261690 in May 2025 is overwhelmingly dominated by China Mainland, which accounts for 99.78% of the weight and 98.64% of the value. The slight disparity where value ratio is lower than weight ratio suggests that China imports lower-grade ores at an average unit price of approximately 2.56 USD per kilogram, indicating bulk purchases for processing.

Partner Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The trade pattern shows two clusters: China Mainland as the primary bulk importer, likely due to its large-scale refining capacity and demand for raw materials, and India as a minor importer with a higher unit price around 16.32 USD per kilogram, possibly sourcing specific higher-grade ores for niche applications. This split reflects typical commodity trade where major economies secure volume, while others target quality.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

For Peru, maintaining strong ties with China is crucial for volume stability, but exploring markets like India could leverage higher values. Diversifying buyers may mitigate risks from potential trade policy shifts, such as those hinted in US tariff changes [EY Tax News], though not directly affecting ores yet. Supply chains should focus on grade optimization to capture value in both bulk and premium segments.

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Peru Precious Metal Ores (HS 261690) 2025 May Export: Buyer Cluster

Buyer Market Concentration and Dominance

For Peru Precious metal ores Export in May 2025, under HS Code 261690, the buyer market shows extreme concentration. yTrade data reveals that one segment of buyers, those making large and frequent purchases, dominates with 97.81% of the total export value. This group also handles 91.12% of the quantity, indicating a market driven by a few key players with high-volume, regular transactions. The median trade pattern is skewed towards high value and high frequency, with no activity from other buyer types in this period, highlighting a tightly controlled export landscape for these four segments of buyers.

Strategic Buyer Clusters and Trade Role

The only other active buyer segment consists of smaller, frequent purchasers who account for 35% of transaction frequency but only 2.19% of value. This suggests they are likely minor traders or local processors buying smaller lots regularly. The two remaining segments, which would involve infrequent large or small buyers, show no activity in May 2025, meaning the market lacks diversity and is primarily served by the dominant high-value, high-frequency buyers and a minor group of consistent but low-value participants.

Sales Strategy and Vulnerability

Exporters in Peru should focus heavily on maintaining strong ties with the dominant buyers to secure stable revenue, given the high dependence on this group. The risk is significant if demand from these key buyers drops, as there are no alternative large or infrequent buyers to cushion the impact. Sales likely rely on long-term contracts for bulk shipments, with limited opportunity for diversifying into spot markets. Despite broader trade discussions, such as US tariff exemptions for agricultural products, no recent changes directly affect precious metal ores, keeping the strategic outlook unchanged but underscoring the need for risk management in this concentrated market.

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Peru Precious Metal Ores (HS 261690) 2025 May Export: Action Plan for Precious Metal Ores Market Expansion

Strategic Supply Chain Overview

Peru Precious metal ores Export 2025 May under HS Code 261690 is a bulk commodity trade. Price is driven by ore grade and global metal prices. China dominates as the primary buyer of low-grade bulk shipments. This creates high volume leverage but limited pricing power.

Supply chains must prioritize secure, high-volume logistics to China. The minor high-grade stream to India offers a premium niche. The market lacks buyer diversity, creating significant exposure to demand shifts from a few key clients.

Action Plan: Data-Driven Steps for Precious metal ores Market Execution

• Negotiate long-term contracts with dominant high-frequency buyers. This ensures stable revenue and protects against sudden demand drops from your largest clients.
• Analyze shipment data to separate and market higher-grade ores. Target premium markets like India to capture better unit prices and diversify your buyer base.
• Monitor global commodity indexes and Chinese industrial activity closely. Adjust production schedules proactively to hedge against price volatility in the bulk ore market.
• Develop a risk mitigation plan for supply chain disruption. This plan must account for potential shifts in trade policy or transport delays to your key market.

Take Action Now —— Explore Peru Precious metal ores Export Data

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is driving the recent changes in Peru Precious metal ores Export 2025 May?

Peru's exports rebounded sharply in May 2025, with a 77% value surge and 52% volume increase from April, reflecting typical mining output volatility. The trade is dominated by bulk-grade ores, making it sensitive to operational adjustments and global commodity cycles.

Q2. Who are the main partner countries in this Peru Precious metal ores Export 2025 May?

China Mainland dominates, absorbing 99.78% of volume and 98.64% of value. India is the only other active importer, handling a small share but at a higher unit price.

Q3. Why does the unit price differ across Peru Precious metal ores Export 2025 May partner countries?

China imports bulk-grade ores at $2.56/kg, while India pays $16.32/kg for niche higher-grade concentrates. The price gap reflects China's focus on volume versus India's demand for specialized quality.

Q4. What should exporters in Peru focus on in the current Precious metal ores export market?

Exporters must prioritize relationships with dominant high-volume buyers (97.81% of value) to ensure stability. Exploring premium markets like India could mitigate risks from overreliance on bulk-grade sales.

Q5. What does this Peru Precious metal ores export pattern mean for buyers in partner countries?

Chinese buyers benefit from steady bulk supply, while Indian buyers access higher-grade ores at a premium. Both markets face limited competition due to Peru's extreme export concentration.

Q6. How is Precious metal ores typically used in this trade flow?

The bulk-grade ores are likely processed industrially for metal extraction, while higher-grade concentrates serve specialized applications requiring refined purity.