Welcome to the latest issue of MINE magazine.

This month, we look at the results of and reactions to the Peruvian presidential election, which saw left-wing candidate Pedro Castillo swept into office. He has made plans to raise taxes and royalties on the country’s powerful and profitable mining sector, creating equal excitement and fear surrounding the future direction of Peruvian mining, and who stands to benefit most.

Elsewhere, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Afghanistan serve as powerful examples of countries with considerable potential for mineral wealth, but whose nascent mining industries are dogged by human rights abuses and unstable geopolitics. We ask how these reserves can best be managed, and what can be done to protect miners in a sector increasingly concerned with its reputation.

Finally, mining is no stranger to emerging technology, and both battery-powered vehicles and digital innovations are spreading across the sector. We consider the possible benefits of a more digital approach to mining, and investigate success stories in Sweden to see how technological sophistication can be better integrated into long-established mining processes. For all this and more, read on.

JP Casey, editor