UPDATE 1-Peru Jan gold, copper output down versus year ago
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LIMA, March 15 (Reuters) - Peru's gold and copper output fell in January this year versus the same month last year, while silver and zinc output rose, National Statistics Institute (INEI) data showed on Thursday.
Gold output fell in January to 14 tonnes, 22.5 per cent below a year earlier, according to data released as part of INEI's gross domestic product report for January.
The January gold output fall was due to a 48.8 percent decline in gold output at Yanacocha, the INEI said.
Yanacocha, South America's largest gold mine, is majority owned by Denver-based Newmont Mining Corp (NEM.N), the world's largest gold miner.
Buenaventura (BUEv.LM) (BVN.N), one of the few Peruvian companies traded on the New York stock exchange, owns a minority stake in Yanacocha.
On Feb. 28, Buenaventura posted a 19 percent drop in fourth-quarter net profit versus a year earlier, due to what it said was a decline in gold production at Yanacocha.
Peru is the world's No. 5 gold producer.
SILVER, COPPER, ZINC
The country is also one of the world's two top producers of silver and the globe's No. 3 copper and zinc producer.
In January, silver output in Peru rose to 266.1 tonnes, 7.5 per cent higher than a year earlier, according to INEI.
Copper output fell in January to 63,900 tonnes, 7.3 percent below that of January 2006, INEI said.
Zinc output rose to 98,800 tonnes, 36.7 percent higher than in January 2006, the statistics agency said.
