Bolivian mining exports fall 13% in Jan-Oct

Bolivia's mining exports dropped 13% year-on-year to US$1.48bn through October, according to figures from national statistics institute INE.

Exports of zinc, lead, copper, tin, silver, gold, tungsten and antimony minerals declined from US$1.70bn in the first 10 months of 2014, according to the INE statement. Exports were hit by falling metals prices and protests in various regions.

Zinc exports declined 9.2% to US$733mn, while silver dropped 19.3% to US$486mn and lead fell 16.5% to US$113mn, INE stated. Copper exports declined 16% to US$41.5mn, while foreign sales of tungsten dropped 20.3% to US$20mn, tin fell 19.7% to US$12.6mn and antimony dropped 12% to US$4.6mn, it said. A month-long protest in the mining region of Potosí cut production earlier this year.

Gold exports were almost unchanged at US$18.5mn. Both Peruvian and Bolivian government officials have acknowledged that Peruvian illegal miners are smuggling gold shipments across the Bolivian border to avoid a government crackdown on the sector.

Refined gold exports, which are reported separately, plunged by half to US$625mn and refined silver exports dipped 27% to US$82mn. Refined tin fell 24.3% to US$221mn, while copper cathodes dropped 26.5% to US$79.1mn.

Overall, Bolivian exports dropped 31.7% to US$7.62bn from US$11.153bn through October 2014. Oil and gas exports, which slumped 39% to US$3.44bn in the period, accounted for the bulk of the total.