2013 Minerals Yearbook CENTRAL AMERICA U.S. Department of the Interior September 2016 U.S. Geological Survey THE MINERAL INDUSTRIES OF CENTRAL AMERICA BELIZE, COSTA RICA, EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, HONDURAS, NICARAGUA, AND PANAMA By Susan Wacaster Owing primarily to the expansion of the Panama Canal, the owing to declining reserves (Comisión Económica para América economy of Panama continued to lead economic growth in Latina y el Caribe, 2014). the Central America region. In 2013, the real gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate in the region remained positive but Reference Cited slowed in all countries except Guatemala; the year-on-year growth rate in Panama was 8.4%. Across the region, exports by Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe, 2014, Balance the agriculture and manufacturing sectors decreased. A coffee preliminary de las economias de America Latina y el Caribe 2013—Belice: Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe, 2 p. (Accessed plant disease had taken a major toll on coffee production and November 1, 2014, at http://www.cepal.org/publicaciones/xml/2/51822/ coffee exports throughout Central America, and the price and BPE-Belice.pdf.) amount of most imports increased, particularly for energy and food (Central Bank of Belize, 2014, p. 6–7). COSTA RICA The mineral sector in Central America accounted for less than 1% of the GDP, on average, for the entire region from 2008 Mining and quarrying remained insignificant to the national through 2012. Costa Rica reported the least amount of activity economy of Costa Rica. Mining and quarrying activities and Panama reported the greatest amount of activity during this contributed 0.1% of Costa Rica’s real GDP each year from 5-year period. In 2013, the value contributed to the GDP from 2009 through 2013. In 2013, the value contributed to real GDP mining and quarrying increased or stayed the same in all the by mining and quarrying was about $30 million compared countries of the region except Honduras (Comisión Económica with $29 million in 2012. In 2013, Costa Rica imported about para América Latina y el Caribe, 2014; González, 2014). $2.2 million worth of unspecified hydrocarbon products, which appeared to be the cost of crude petroleum imports (Banco References Cited Central de Costa Rica, 2014, p. 31; Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe, 2014). Central Bank of Belize, 2014, Belize—2013—Annual report and statement of accounts: Belize City, Belize, Central Bank of Belize, April, 154 p. Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe, 2014, CEPALSTAT— References Cited Estadisticas e Indicadores—Económicos—Sector real—Cuentas nacionales—Anuales—En dólares: United Nations. (Accessed Banco Central de Costa Rica, 2014, Memoria annual 2013: San Jose, Costa November 1, 2014, at http://estadisticas.cepal.org/cepalstat/WEB_ Rica, Banco Central de Costa Rica, 79 p. CEPALSTAT/estadisticasIndicadores.asp?idioma=s.) Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe, 2014, CEPALSTAT— González, Leyda, 2014, La explotación de minas y canteras aporto poco al Estadisticas e Indicadores—Económicos—Sector real—Cuentas PIB de la región, mientras su potencial se frena por disputas legales y la nacionales—Anuales—En dólares: United Nations. (Accessed conflictividad: Mercados & Tendencias. (Accessed November 5, 2014, at November 1, 2014, at http://estadisticas.cepal.org/cepalstat/WEB_ http://revistamyt.com/2014/05/mineria-2014-potencial-que-duerme.) CEPALSTAT/estadisticasIndicadores.asp?idioma=s.) BELIZE EL SALVADOR Belize was not a globally or regionally significant mineral- In 2013, El Salvador’s year-on-year real GDP growth rate producing country in 2013 nor was it prospective for nonfuel was about 1.7% compared with a revised 1.9% in 2012. The mineral commodity production in the near term. The year- estimated value of production from mines and quarries was on-year GDP growth rate was 1.6% in 2013 compared with $50.1 million, which accounted for about 0.2% of the total a growth rate of 4.0% in 2012. Slow economic growth was GDP and was the same as revised values for 2012. In March attributable to decreased production in the agricultural, 2012, Puma Energy International acquired 65% ownership electricity generation, and petroleum sectors. Mining and in the Acajutla refinery, which the company was using for quarrying accounted for no more than 0.5% of the country’s storage capacity. The two storage terminals at the facility had GDP in every year from 1996 through 2013 and for no more a combined volume of 293,200 cubic meters. Beginning in than 0.6% in 1992 (the earliest year for which data were September 2012, El Salvador halted imports of crude petroleum available) through 1995. Belize Natural Energy Ltd.’s petroleum and imported only refined petroleum products. The country production decreased by about 23% in the first half of 2013 exported about $129 million worth of fuels and lubricants in compared with the same period in 2012 to 419,189 barrels 2013 (Portillo, 2013; Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe, 2014). CENTRAL AMERICa—2013 6.1 References Cited Lead production at Nyrstar NV of Switzerland’s El Mochito Mine decreased to 11,600 t, or by 6.5% compared with that of Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe, 2014, CEPALSTAT— 2012. Zinc production decreased by 4% to 25,000 t, and silver Estadisticas e Indicadores—Económicos—Sector real—Cuentas production increased by 0.6% to 50,910 kg. Despite a 3.6% nacionales—Anuales—En dólares: United Nations. (Accessed November 1, 2014, at http://estadisticas.cepal.org/cepalstat/WEB_ increase in ore production at El Mochito, total metal output CEPALSTAT/estadisticasIndicadores.asp?idioma=s.) decreased because of a decrease in the millhead grade (Nyrstar Portillo, Miguel, 2013, El Salvador ya no importa crudo, solo combustible NV, 2014, p. 25). refinado: La Presna Gráfica [El Salvador]. (Accessed November 4, 2014, at http://www.laprensagrafica.com/el-salvador-ya-no-importa-crudo--solo- combustible-refinado.) References Cited Aura Minerals Inc., 2014, Aura Minerals announces year end 2013 GUATEMALA financial and operating results: Aura Minerals Inc., March 26. (Accessed November 4, 2014, at http://www.auraminerals.com/News-Events/ In 2013, Guatemala’s year-on-year real GDP growth rate was News-Releases/News-Release-Details/2014/Aura-Minerals-Announces-Year- about 3.7% compared with 3.0% in 2012. The value contributed End-2013-Financial-and-Operating-Results/default.aspx.) Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe, 2014, CEPALSTAT— to the GDP from mining and quarrying activities in 2013 Estadisticas e Indicadores—Económicos—Sector real—Cuentas increased to about $426.1 million, or by 3.5% compared with nacionales—Anuales—En dólares: United Nations. (Accessed that of 2012. Mining and quarrying activity accounted for about November 1, 2014, at http://estadisticas.cepal.org/cepalstat/WEB_ 0.9% of the GDP (Comisión Económica para América Latina y CEPALSTAT/estadisticasIndicadores.asp?idioma=s.) Nyrstar NV, 2014, Nyrstar announces 2013 full year results: Zurich, el Caribe, 2014). Switzerland, Nyrstar NV, February 6, 29 p. Silver production increased by 38% in 2013 compared with that of 2012 owing to the startup of Tahoe Resources Inc. NICARAGUA of Canada’s Escobal Mine. The Escobal epithermal deposit is a fault-controlled epithermal vein system. The primary Nicaragua’s year-on-year real GDP growth rate was 4.6% commodity at the Escobal Mine is silver followed by lesser in 2013 compared with a revised 5.0% in 2012. The value amounts of gold, lead, and zinc. In 2013, Tahoe Resources contributed to the GDP from mining and quarrying activities processed 159,000 metric tons (t) of ore from which was increased by 21.7% to $117.9 million compared with a revised produced 64,104 kilograms (kg) of silver, 865 t of zinc, 818 t of $96.9 million in 2012 and accounted for about 1.1% of the GDP lead, and 60 kg of gold (Tahoe Resources Inc., 2014, p. 31). (Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe, 2014). Gold production from Goldcorp Inc. of Canada’s Marlin Mine In 2013, gold production increased by 23.3% compared with decreased to about 6,290 kg, or by by 2.4% compared with that that of 2012, and silver production increased by 34.6%. The of 2012, owing to the continued decrease in the millhead grade. increase in reported gold production was owing to a projected Silver production, however, increased by 7.1% to about 219,100 kg 2013 production total released by Hemco Nicaragua S.A. for the owing to a 1% increase in the recovery rate (Goldcorp Inc., Rio Bambana gold mine. Silver production increased as a result 2014, p. 45). of increased production at the Bonanza and La Libertad Mines (table 1). References Cited Reference Cited Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe, 2014, CEPALSTAT— Estadisticas e Indicadores—Económicos—Sector real—Cuentas nacionales—Anuales—En dólares: United Nations. (Accessed Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe, 2014, CEPALSTAT— November 1, 2014, at http://estadisticas.cepal.org/cepalstat/WEB_ Estadisticas e Indicadores—Económicos—Sector real—Cuentas CEPALSTAT/estadisticasIndicadores.asp?idioma=s.) nacionales—Anuales—En dólares: United Nations. (Accessed Goldcorp Inc., 2014, Annual report 2013: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, November 1, 2014, at http://estadisticas.cepal.org/cepalstat/WEB_ Goldcorp Inc., 150 p. CEPALSTAT/estadisticasIndicadores.asp?idioma=s.) Tahoe Resources Inc., 2014, Annual information form: Vancouver, British Columbia, Tahoe Resources Inc., March 12, 44 p. PANAMA HONDURAS In 2013, Panama’s real GDP growth rate was 8.4% compared with a revised 10.2% in 2012. The value contributed to the In 2013, the Honduran year-on-year real GDP growth rate was GDP from mining and quarrying activities increased by about 2.6% compared with a revised 3.9% in 2012.