[1/5] Trucks from the Las Bambas mine circulate along the mining corridor between Sayhua and Ccapacmarca, near Ccapacmarca, Peru, January 19, 2022. REUTERS/Sebastian Castaneda/File PhotoLIMA, July 7 (Reuters) - Copper miners in Peru, already battling political uncertainty and regular protests, say they have another hurdle to revving up stalled production of the red metal: too much red tape. 2 copper producer, has seen output plateau in the last five years as political instability, revolving governments and flagging investment has let rival producer Congo almost overtake it. 1 producer Chile has also seen production slide, dented by political uncertainty around taxes and regulation. Until that happens, mining executives said Peru's $53 billion mining investment pipeline, largely copper, would only move forward slowly, despite government hopes that some $7 billion of that being unlocked in 2023 and 2024.

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Persons: Sebastian Castaneda, LIMA, Raul Jacob, Jorge Soto, it's, Víctor Gobitz, Tia Maria, Marco Aquino, Adam Jourdan, Sandra Maler Organizations: REUTERS, Congo, Reuters, World Bank, BHP, Newmont Corp, Thomson Locations: Sayhua, Ccapacmarca, Peru, Lima, Chile, Canada, Mexico