| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Total Beds | 600 (expandable to 800) |
| Accommodation Units | 160 rooms (4 persons/room, private bathroom, heating & hot water) |
| Dining Hall | 200 seats with separate kitchen |
| Medical Room | 1 (with altitude observation room and oxygen generator) |
| Office Modules | 15 offices + 2 meeting rooms + satellite communications room |
| Recreation | Gym, TV room, outdoor basketball court |
| Total Area | Approximately 7,500 m² |
| Total Modules | 240 (flat-pack type) |
| Insulation | 75 mm polyurethane sandwich panel + double-glazed Low-E glass |
| Hot Water System | Solar collectors with electric backup heating |
| Design Life | 15 years (high-altitude desert environment) |
| On-site Installation | Approximately 8 weeks (20 workers + 3 supervisors) |
Peru is the world's second-largest copper producer, with output reaching approximately 2.7 million metric tons in 2025. Driven by surging global demand for copper amid the green energy transition, the country is experiencing a new wave of mining investment. As of early 2026, 11 new mining projects worth approximately US$8 billion are planned for 2025-2026. Southern Copper Corporation has announced a US$10.3 billion investment in Peru for the Tía María, Michiquillay, and Los Chancas projects, along with the Ilo smelter expansion. In the Arequipa region, the Cerro Verde copper mine is undergoing a US$60 million expansion, targeting a mill throughput of 420,000 metric tons of ore per day by 2026.
However, Peru's major copper mines are located in the Andes Mountains at altitudes of 3,000 to 4,500 meters, in remote mountain valleys far from urban infrastructure. Mine expansions require significant additional workers, yet accommodation at these high altitudes is extremely limited. Most mine sites have no towns within 20 to 50 kilometers, and commuting from Arequipa city takes 2 to 3 hours each way. Mining operators urgently need standardized camp solutions that can be rapidly deployed under high-altitude, complex terrain conditions.
A major copper mining operator in Peru's Arequipa region contacted 9States to build a 600-bed modular worker camp for its new expansion project.
On-site brick-and-mortar construction faced severe obstacles at high altitude. Low oxygen levels substantially reduce worker productivity, and the curing period for cast-in-place concrete nearly doubles compared to lowland areas. The rugged Andean terrain makes transporting cement, aggregate, and rebar extremely expensive. No building material suppliers exist near the mine site — all materials must be trucked from Arequipa city (approximately 150 km away). Workers need regular rotation to adapt to high-altitude conditions, adding labor management costs. The project timeline is tight, with traditional methods requiring at least 8 to 10 months — far too long to meet the mining company's production schedule.
9States delivered a 600-bed flat-pack modular camp solution, customized for the Andes' high-altitude, arid, and high-diurnal-temperature-range environment.
The camp is divided into three functional zones: the accommodation area with 160 modular dormitories (4 persons/room, each with private bathroom, water heater, and heating); the public service zone including a 200-seat dining hall, medical room (with altitude observation room), laundry, and gym; and the administration zone with 15 offices, 2 meeting rooms, and a satellite communications room. All buildings are connected by enclosed walkways to shield workers from strong winds and low temperatures.
Modules are manufactured at 9States' Shanghai factory in flat-pack form, each folding to approximately 30 cm thick panels for 40-foot standard container shipping. From Shanghai port, cargo travels via the South China Sea, Malacca Strait, and across the Indian Ocean to Iquique Port in northern Chile — a sea route of approximately 17,000 km with a transit time of about 35 days. From Iquique, cargo travels north via the Pan-American Highway to Tacna, then inland through Moquegua to Arequipa, and finally via mine-access mountain roads to the construction site at 3,800 m elevation — a total overland distance of approximately 1,100 km. A staged trucking strategy is used, with flat-pack containers transferred to smaller trucks suitable for winding mountain roads at the port. Each flat-pack module can be assembled by a 4-person team in approximately 40 minutes using hand tools only — no heavy machinery required. Recognizing the physical demands of high-altitude work, 9States implemented a work-rest schedule of 2 hours work followed by 30 minutes rest, and equipped installation crews with portable oxygen canisters.
9States has extensive experience in high-altitude mining camp construction worldwide. Our flat-pack modular series is particularly suited to the Andes and other high-altitude, complex terrain mining zones:
For more information on high-altitude mining camp construction in the Andes, visit 9States' official website (9prefabhouse.com).
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