Apurimac

Apurimac demonstrates the dynamics of resource-defense theory in action—communities that once sheltered the last Inca emperor now blockade one of the world's largest copper mines. Las Bambas, operated by MMG at 4,000 meters elevation, has become Peru's third-largest copper producer, generating 135,321 metric tons in the first four months of 2025—a 71.9% increase over the previous year. The mine accounts for 15.3% of Peru's total copper output and contributes roughly 1% of national GDP. Yet this wealth extraction has triggered over 700 days of community blockades throughout its history, as local populations demand greater resource redistribution.

The region's geography has always made it a fortress. Choquequirao, the "Cradle of Gold," rises 3,050 meters above the Apurimac River canyon—a 1,800-hectare Inca complex of which only 30-40% has been excavated. Built in the late 15th century, it served as one of the last refuges of Manco Inca Yupanqui after his 1535 siege of Cusco failed. The dense Andean forest reclaimed these terraces for centuries until systematic excavation began in 1970. White stone llama mosaics on the terrace walls speak to a culture that understood the importance of integrating human design with mountain ecosystems.

Today, Las Bambas exemplifies cooperation-enforcement mechanisms: communities have learned that blockades force renegotiation of terms. MMG reports contributing S/ 2.3 billion in royalties and S/ 470 million in mining taxes, positioning Apurimac among Peru's fastest-growing regions. But growth metrics mask the tension inherent in extracting finite resources from communities whose resistance strategies date back to the fall of the Inca empire. The $1.75 billion expansion proposed through 2039 represents a bet that this balance can be sustained.