Coal and Gold Lift Colombia Mining Output as Crude Slows
Colombia mining output rebounded in Q2 2026, with coal and gold leading. Crude oil production fell, but mining and quarrying grew faster than the economy. The post Coal and Gold Lift Colombia Mining Output as Crude Slows appeared first on The Rio Times .
Colombia's mining and quarrying sector expanded more rapidly than the country's overall economy in the second quarter of 2026. Despite a slowdown in crude oil production, coal and gold mining sectors drove the recovery. According to Portafolio, coal activity increased by 16.2% and metallic minerals (including gold) rose by 15.4% compared to the same period last year.
Over the broader quarter, mining and quarrying value added grew by 4.2% year-on-year, outpacing the 3.5% economy-wide growth. This data, compiled by the National Statistics Agency DANE, highlights a positive shift for a sector that had previously struggled. However, the recovery remains uneven across different minerals, with a notable decline in crude oil and gas output.
For the year to date, the mining and quarrying sector grew by 1.6% compared to the first half of 2025, with a quarter-on-quarter expansion of 0.4%. This modest recovery is lower than the annual rate, indicating a slowdown. The decline in mining output coincides with falling water levels on key rivers like the Cauca and Magdalena, which could intensify drought conditions through September 2026 and January 2027.
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