La Paz: Bolivia ended the first half of this year with a significant increase in mineral exports, despite a decline of 27.9 percent of their total international sales due to adverse context for the price drop of the oil. According to official information, mining recorded an increase of 5.0 percent over the first half of 2015 and stands out an increase of 13 percent in exports volume of silver and 7.0 percent in volume of lead.
Silver is, after zinc, the second country exported mineral, which received for this concept 292.9 million in the first half, which accounted for 35.7 of total exports in the mining sector. The main destinations of Bolivian silver volume were China, South Korea, Belgium and Canada, which together accounted for 91 percent of total exports in the first six months of the current year.
Bolivian silver ore is produced in Potosi, Oruro, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, La Paz and Chuquisaca, but 99 percent is concentrated in Potosi and Oruro. In the analyzed period lead exports reached 81,000 tons, higher than 7.0 percent in the first half of 2015. This mineral was acquired primarily for markets in South Korea, China and Belgium, which together accounted for 91 percent of the export volume of this mineral. Bolivia’s lead is produced mainly in Potosi, Oruro and Cochabamba, which account for 98 percent of the volume sold abroad.
