Mine closure in Colombia: the complexity of overlapping artisanal mining liabilities

Authors: Forero Zuluaga, JS; Martínez Aristizabal, S; Forero García, F; Correa Giraldo, F Download Paper Open access courtesy of:

DOI https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2615_43

Cite As:
Forero Zuluaga, JS, Martínez Aristizabal, S, Forero García, F & Correa Giraldo, F 2026, 'Mine closure in Colombia: the complexity of overlapping artisanal mining liabilities', in AB Fourie, G Boggs, J Heyes & M Tibbett (eds), Mine Closure 2026: Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Mine Closure, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 1-14, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2615_43



Abstract:
Colombia’s mining sector is expanding. Gold production reached approximately 1.82 million ounces in 2024, positioning the country as the fourth-largest gold producer in Latin America. However, the regulatory framework for mine closure has not evolved at the same pace. Closure obligations remain embedded within general legislation that lacks binding technical criteria, and for small- and medium-scale mining – which accounts for 97% of active mining titles – closure obligations are, in practice, largely absent. The consequences of this regulatory gap are more visible in practice than in policy reviews. Investors entering gold projects in Colombia rarely arrive at undeveloped ground; instead, they enter territories where informal and artisanal mining has existed for decades – and in many cases for centuries. This historical footprint does not disappear when a formal operator arrives; rather, it becomes part of the project context. Environmental legacies overlap, responsibility becomes contested, and companies attempting to plan closure responsibly must navigate conditions that the regulatory framework has not fully addressed. This paper draws on technical experience documented across several gold districts in Colombia. Without identifying specific operations, these examples illustrate how regulatory gaps translate into real technical challenges: inherited liabilities that alter closure planning, undefined closure criteria, the absence of post-closure obligations, and the particular difficulty of planning closure in areas where artisanal mining continues both during and after formal operations. Rather than representing isolated situations, these conditions form part of the normal operating context of Colombia’s principal gold districts. Building on this practical foundation, the paper identifies the most critical gaps faced by professionals and offers practical guidance for those structuring or evaluating mining projects in Colombia.

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