Colombia launches tender for two coal blocks

Colombia’s mining agency ANM presented the 2022 coal mining round in which it will tender two areas for thermal coal in Cesar department.

The two areas, the 6,569ha block 19 and the 2,731ha block 20, are ready to start the production stage, according to ANM.

Bids are due to be received from May 25, the agency said in a release.

Interested parties must register on the Anna Minería platform and demonstrate financial, legal, technical and environmental capacity, and social and business responsibility.

"This is an objective selection process to award the first strategic thermal coal mining areas, with easy access to the railway and port system in the department of Cesar," said ANM head Juan Miguel Durán during the presentation.

At the ceremony, mines and energy minister Diego Mesa stressed that currently coal is of great importance to the world due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the need to replace Russian coal.

Mesa said Colombia has great potential and it has received requests from European and Latin American countries to increase coal exports.

Coal is Colombia’s main mining export product, accounting for 13.7% of total exports, 83.8% of mining royalties, 58.1% of mining  exports and 56.1% of mining GDP in 2021.