Mineral resources of Colombia (other than petroleum) (2024)

FAQs

Mineral resources of Colombia (other than petroleum)? ›

The principal mineral commodities, besides petroleum, produced in Colombia are (1) emeralds, gold, platinum, and silver, mainly for export, and (2) barite, cement, clay, coal, gypsum, salt, sand and gravel, silica, and stone, mainly for the domestic market.

Resources. Colombia has an abundance of nonrenewable resources, including reserves of gold, coal, and petroleum; its renewable resources include rich agricultural lands and its rivers, which have been harnessed increasingly for hydroelectric power.

Coal, petroleum, and gold are chief among Colombia's long list of extraction and processing industries. Gold production comes largely from dredges operating in the west-central departments of Antioquia and Chocó.

The natural resources in Colombia range from arable land to minerals such as gold and coal. Most industries in the country are driven by agriculture and commodities. Some of the top export items from Colombia include coal, petroleum, coffee, and gold.

The principal mineral commodities, besides petroleum, produced in Colombia are (1) emeralds, gold, platinum, and silver, mainly for export, and (2) barite, cement, clay, coal, gypsum, salt, sand and gravel, silica, and stone, mainly for the domestic market.

Colombia's major exports are petroleum, coffee, coal, nickel, cut flowers, and bananas. The United States is Colombia's largest trading partner, representing about 41% of Colombia's exports and 27% of its imports. Colombia has considerable mineral and energy resources, especially coal and natural gas reserves.

Because Colombia predominately uses hydropower as its main source of power generation, droughts can significantly affect the generation mix.

Colombia is rich in natural resources, including oil, natural gas, coal, nickel, gold, and emeralds. Oil is the top export.

What are the critical minerals in Colombia? ›

Colombia has extensive reserves of copper, nickel and cobalt, all critical to the global energy transition.

Precious metals and gemstones

Placer deposits in Colombia's Atrato River basin are significant sources of gold, and the metal is still produced also in Venezuela and in classical gold-mining centres in the central Andes of Peru, in the Andes of Chile, and in the Carajás area in Brazil.

Perhaps best known for its emeralds and coffee, Colombia also has an extensive gold mining sector. Roughly 350,000 people work directly in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector, primarily in remote areas, and rely on it for their livelihood.

The country's economy is shaped by its land and like many South American nations is based in its rich natural resources. Agriculture and commodity-driven industries are a large part of the economy, with petroleum, coal, gold and coffee as the top exports.

During the last five reported years the exports of Colombia have changed by $21.3B from $39B in 2017 to $60.3B in 2022. The most recent exports are led by Crude Petroleum ($16.1B), Coal Briquettes ($12.9B), Coffee ($4.15B), Refined Petroleum ($2.64B), and Gold ($2.59B).

Production. Colombia is one of the 5 largest producers in the world of coffee, avocado and palm oil, and one of the 10 largest producers in the world of sugarcane, banana, pineapple and cocoa.

Colombia is known for its significant natural resources, modern cities, and a diverse culture. The government has made great strides in recent years to secure peace with revolutionaries, minimize crime, and protect its strong democratic institutions and the country boasts at growing economy.

Petroleum is Colombia's main export, representing over 45% of Colombia's exports. Manufacturing represents nearly 12% of Colombia's exports, and grows at a rate of over 10% a year. Colombia has the fastest growing information technology industry in the world, and has the longest fibre optic network in Latin America.

The electricity sector in Colombia is dominated by large hydropower generation (65%) and thermal generation (35%).