Bolivia’s mining exports could exceed US$ 3 billion in 2011 and could replace the natural gas as the country’s main export item, local export association IBCE said yesterday. The mining exports totalled USD 1.383 billion in the first five months of 2011, IBCE said, quoting data of the national statistics institute INE.
Tin is Bolivia’s third most valuable mineral export, after zinc and silver, with silver overtaking zinc for the number one position this year. In the five months to May the value of silver exports rose by 79% year-on-year to $542 million, zinc by only 5% to $407 million and tin by 65% to $215 million.
In 2012 total tin export earnings by Bolivia amounted to $353 million, based on sales of 14,799 tonnes of refined metal and 3,102 tonnes on tin concentrate. Total metals and minerals exports last year amounted to $2.4 billion.
