Gold, silver, lead and zinc were some of the main materials exported during 2017, and the main buyers were the USA, Germany, Aruba, Austria and Belgium.
The authorities at the Honduran Institute of Geology and Mines (Inhgeomin) presented figures for 2017 and explained that the good performance achieved last year was mainly due to favourable international prices and to the reactivation in economies such as the United States, which led to an increase in demand for metals and minerals, especially for construction.
On August 16 and 17 industry representatives from around the globe will be taking part in business conferences and lectures on the role of mineral resources and the impact of the activity on the economy.
The II International Mining Congress is being organized by the Mining Chamber of Nicaragua and will be held on August 16 and 17 in Managua.
On November 12nd and 13th Panama City Latin American mining companies will be gathering together in Panama City to address the challenges and opportunities for the industry in Central America.
The Mining Chamber of Panama is organizing the event, in conjunction with the Latin American Mining Organization (Olami), called the First International Mining Congress, which will focus on the challenges and opportunities of mining activities in Central America.
Conflicts over environmental protection and excessive bureaucracy in the process of granting concessions are the factors that limit the great mining potential in the region.
The mining sector in Central America represents great potential for investment and business, however, it has so far contributed only 0.75% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), averaged from the six countries in the region, between 2008 and 2012. Costa Rica reported the lowest activity with 0.1% and Panama the highest with 1.7% of GDP.
Representatives of companies in the sector and investors will meet from 2 to 5 March in Canada in order to take part in the business conference.
The Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDCA) has organized since 1932 the Annual Mining Convention which is attended by companies involved in the industry of mining exploration and exploitation in various countries.