Coal production in Colombia increased by 15.4% to 85.8 million t in 2011, and exports rose by 16% to 79.2 million t, according to the country’s mining regulator. Production is forecast to rise further to 97 million t this calendar year.
Colombia is the world’s fourth largest exporter of coal, shipping mainly to the US and Europe. The country has experienced increased investment in recent years after US-funded security operations helped Colombia crackdown on illegal armed groups, improving safety for the mining industry.