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Bolivia

Open in the explorerOrganisations (11)Events

Production, refining and reserves

CommodityMetricValueWorld rank · shareSource
LithiumResources 20085.4 million t Li content#1 · 49%USGS MCS 2009
CopperMine production 20223,608 t Cu content#49 · 0%USGS Minerals Yearbook 2022 (copper), table 20
BoronMine production 2025380,000 t ulexite—USGS MCS 2026
AntimonyMine production 20255,000 t Sb content#4 · 5%USGS MCS 2026
AntimonyReserves 2025310,000 t Sb content#3 · 16%USGS MCS 2026
TinMine production 202515,000 t Sn content#6 · 5%USGS MCS 2026
TinReserves 2025400,000 t Sn content#7 · 7%USGS MCS 2026
TungstenMine production 20251,700 t W content#6 · 2%USGS MCS 2026
TungstenReserves 201453,000 t W content#7 · 2%USGS MCS 2015
ZincMine production 2025500,000 t Zn content#7 · 4%USGS MCS 2026
ZincReserves 20214.8 million t Zn content#10 · 2%USGS MCS 2022
TantalumMine production 20252 t Ta content#9 · 0.1%USGS MCS 2026
LeadMine production 2025100,000 t Pb content#8 · 2%USGS MCS 2026
LeadReserves 20251.6 million t Pb content#10 · 2%USGS MCS 2026
UraniumResources 20231,300 t U content#58 · 0%NEA/IAEA Red Book 2024 (Uranium 2024), Table 1.2a, <USD 260/kgU
BismuthRefinery production 202550 t Bi (refined metal)#6 · 0.3%USGS MCS 2026
BismuthReserves 201610,000 t Bi content#3 · 3%USGS MCS 2017
ArsenicRefinery production 202240 t arsenic trioxide (gross weight)#6 · 0.1%USGS MCS 2024
SilverMine production 20251,500 t Ag content#4 · 6%USGS MCS 2026
SilverReserves 202522,000 t Ag content#9 · 4%USGS MCS 2026

Policies and export measures

Policy tracker →

  • 2017-04-27 · incentive

    Law No. 928 creating the state lithium company Yacimientos de Litio Bolivianos (YLB)

    Creates YLB as a national strategic public company under the energy ministry (now the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Energy); Law 535 of 2014 had given this role to COMIBOL. YLB is responsible for the whole evaporite chain: prospecting, exploration, extraction, concentration, inorganic chemistry, industrialisation and sale. Dated 27 April 2017. In 2026 the government announced work on a new lithium law; no enacted text was found.

    Source: Yacimientos de Litio Bolivianos (YLB), Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia

  • 2014-05-28 · trade measure

    Mining and Metallurgy Law No. 535: lithium and potassium declared strategic, salt flats reserved for the State

    The 2014 mining law declares lithium and potassium strategic elements to be developed only by state mining companies and reserves Uyuni, Coipasa, Pastos Grandes and some 25 other salt flats and saline lagoons for the State. Basic evaporite chemistry (lithium chloride, sulphate, hydroxide and carbonate, and potassium salts) must be 100% state-owned; later industrial stages may use partnership contracts with private firms as long as the State keeps a majority. Only the State may mine radioactive minerals, and finds of radioactive minerals or rare earths must be reported. Royalty on lithium carbonate is 3%. Dated 28 May 2014.

    Source: Ministerio de Minería y Metalurgia, Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia

Trade in critical minerals

Exports 2024$2.4 bn

  1. Zinc$1.1 bnto China 30%, South Korea 20%, Belgium 16% · 14 more
  2. Tin$749 mto Netherlands 30%, United Kingdom 16%, United States of America 10% · 30 more
  3. Lead$284 mto China 33%, South Korea 30%, Germany 18% · 10 more
  4. Boron$110 mto Brazil 50%, Peru 14%, China 7% · 35 more
  5. Antimony$96 mto China 34%, United States of America 29%, Brazil 13% · 18 more
  6. Copper$55 mto China 57%, Chile 15%, United States of America 13% · 14 more
  7. Tungsten$41 mto United States of America 52%, China 28%, Netherlands 9% · 3 more
  8. Aluminium$21 mto Brazil 49%, Thailand 11%, South Korea 11% · 18 more

and 10 more commodities

Imports 2024$14 m

  1. Manganese*$7 mfrom China 80%, Brazil 17%, India 1% · 6 more
  2. Potash$2 mfrom Russia 39%, Peru 33%, Canada 17% · 11 more
  3. Chromium$782 kfrom Brazil 65%, Türkiye 11%, Chile 10% · 5 more
  4. Molybdenum$620 kfrom Brazil 59%, Chile 22%, Peru 13% · 2 more
  5. Lithium*$543 kfrom Brazil 62%, Chile 20%, Argentina 6% · 11 more
  6. Zinc$455 kfrom Peru 100%, Chile 0%
  7. Rare earths$412 kfrom Chile 44%, United States of America 32%, China 18% · 16 more
  8. Silicon$408 kfrom China 55%, Brazil 37%, Spain 5% · 3 more

and 25 more commodities

Trade values in current US dollars (ores, concentrates, intermediates, chemicals and refined metal), not prices. * Includes HS codes that also cover other products. Source: CEPII BACI (HS22), Etalab Open Licence 2.0 — details.

Fiscal regime for mining

InstrumentApplies toRateLegal basis
RoyaltyGoldGold: 7% above USD 700/oz; 0.01 x CO between USD 400 and 700; 4% below USD 400. Refractory sulphide gold 3-5%; small-scale marginal deposits 1-2.5%4-7 sliding scalegross sale value: fine content x official quotation (LME-based fortnightly average set by the Ministry; DUE value for exports)Ley N° 535 de Minería y Metalurgia, de 28 de mayo de 2014 · Art. 226-227in force 2014-05-28
RoyaltySilverSilver: 6% above USD 8/oz; 0.75 x CO between USD 4 and 8; 3% below USD 43-6 sliding scalegross sale value: fine content x official quotation (LME-based fortnightly average set by the Ministry; DUE value for exports)Ley N° 535 de Minería y Metalurgia, de 28 de mayo de 2014 · Art. 227in force 2014-05-28
RoyaltyZinc, Lead, Tin, Copper, Antimony, Tungsten, BismuthBase metals, linear between 1% and 5% by price: zinc 5% above USD 0.94/lb (1% below 0.475); lead 5% above 0.60/lb; tin 5% above 5.00/lb; copper 5% above 2.00/lb (1% below 0.70); antimony 5% above USD 3,800/t; tungsten 5% above USD 24,000/t; bismuth 5% above 10.00/lb1-5 sliding scalegross sale value: fine content x official quotation (LME-based fortnightly average set by the Ministry; DUE value for exports)Ley N° 535 de Minería y Metalurgia, de 28 de mayo de 2014 · Art. 227in force 2014-05-28
RoyaltyIron oreIron: concentrates and lumps 4%; pellets 3%; sponge iron and pig iron 2%4%gross sale value: fine content x official quotation (LME-based fortnightly average set by the Ministry; DUE value for exports)Ley N° 535 de Minería y Metalurgia, de 28 de mayo de 2014 · Art. 227in force 2014-05-28
RoyaltyLithium, PotashEvaporitic resources: lithium carbonate 3%, potassium chloride 3%, other by-products 3%; sodium chloride 2.5%3%gross sale value: fine content x official quotation (LME-based fortnightly average set by the Ministry; DUE value for exports)Ley N° 535 de Minería y Metalurgia, de 28 de mayo de 2014 · Art. 227in force 2014-05-28
RoyaltyBoronUlexite: unprocessed 5%, calcined 3%; intermediate grades scale from 5% (B2O3 <= 22%) to 3% (> 52%) for exports, 3% to 1.8% domestic3-5 sliding scalegross sale value: fine content x official quotation (LME-based fortnightly average set by the Ministry; DUE value for exports)Ley N° 535 de Minería y Metalurgia, de 28 de mayo de 2014 · Art. 227in force 2014-05-28
RoyaltyTantalum, Barite, Indium, RheniumTantalite, barite and limestone 3.5%; indium and rhenium 5% (when of commercial value); precious stones and metals 5%, semi-precious 4%3.5%gross sale value: fine content x official quotation (LME-based fortnightly average set by the Ministry; DUE value for exports)Ley N° 535 de Minería y Metalurgia, de 28 de mayo de 2014 · Art. 227in force 2014-05-28
RoyaltyAll mineralsResidual rate for minerals and metals not listed in the scales2.5%gross sale value: fine content x official quotation (LME-based fortnightly average set by the Ministry; DUE value for exports)Ley N° 535 de Minería y Metalurgia, de 28 de mayo de 2014 · Art. 227.IIin force 2014-05-28
Export levyAll mineralsVerification service fee paid by exporters of minerals, metals and non-metallics to SENARECOM0.05%gross export valueLey N° 535 de Minería y Metalurgia, de 28 de mayo de 2014 · Art. 86.IIin force 2014-05-28

Rates and terms as set in the cited law or regulation; agreements with individual projects can differ. Not legal or tax advice.

Deals and financing (2)

  1. 2024-11-26 · Strategic partnership · signed

    Hong Kong CBC Investment Limited (CATL / Brunp / CMOC consortium) - Sucursal Bolivia → Yacimientos de Litio Bolivianos (YLB) · Lithium carbonate production, Salar de Uyuni (DLE)

    YLB signed a service contract with the CATL-led CBC consortium for the production of lithium carbonate in the Salar de Uyuni using direct lithium extraction.

    official release

  2. 2024-09-11 · Strategic partnership · signed

    Uranium One Group JSC (Rosatom) - Sucursal Bolivia → Yacimientos de Litio Bolivianos (YLB) · Lithium carbonate plant, Salar de Uyuni (DLE)

    State lithium company YLB signed a contract with Rosatom's Uranium One Group for a direct lithium extraction plant producing lithium carbonate in the Salar de Uyuni.

    official release

Mines and facilities (10)

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