Bolivia Tries A New Mining Pitch: Clear Rules, Public Contracts, Shared Upside
Key Points
- President Rodrigo Paz Pereira is pitching legal stability and published contracts to attract mining capital.
- Official data show mineral exports fell to $4.6087 billion in 2024, down 19.2% from 2023.
- Potosí, the export engine, is being promised faster logistics and a clearer investment model.
Bolivia wants to turn mineral wealth into predictable cash flow. Speaking in Potosí on January 26, President Rodrigo Paz Pereira said the resources are there, but the country has underperformed because projects get trapped in shifting rules, weak trust, and disruption.
His pitch starts with “clear rules.” Paz says investment will come only with legal certainty and stable regulations. He backed a 50/50 partnership concept with private capital, with contracts published for public scrutiny.
He also warned that road blockades and recurring social conflict scare off long-term money. The backdrop is a down year. Bolivia’s official mining series shows mineral exports totaled $4.6087 billion in 2024, down 19.2% from 2023, largely because gold exports fell.
Zinc, silver, gold, tin, and lead still dominate, accounting for more than 95% of export value. Potosí is central to the plan.
A government mining bulletin put the department’s share of mineral export value at about 64.7% in 2025, far ahead of other regions.
Bolivia Bets On Mining And Infrastructure
The same bulletin lists China as the top market at 26.7%, followed by Japan, India, Belgium, South Korea, Australia, the United States, and the UAE. Regional buyers include Brazil, Peru, and Argentina.
To make the promise concrete, the government attached a regional plan for Potosí: finish the city’s airport, reactivate a cement industry project, and install satellite internet in remote schools.
A local outlet reported a government promise that the new airport would be operating by March 2026, with the state airline expected to start flights. For investors, the credibility test goes beyond mining.
Reuters reported on January 19 that the government pledged to respect existing hydrocarbons and lithium agreements while preparing new investment-focused legislation.
If Bolivia can keep rules steady and projects moving, the “mining power” claim could become a measurable export story.
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