Bolivia mineral export revenue declines

Bolivia’s revenue from mineral exports in the month of June has decreased by four percent, declining to $916.5 million.

One reason for this is that there has also been a protest located in Potosi, a mining region, throughout the month of June.

Another contributing factor is illegal Peruvian miners, who have been smuggling shipments of gold across the border of Bolivia.

Experts also attribute this decline to a decrease in the prices of metals. Lead and tungsten have declined by 11 percent, amounting to $69.4 million and $14 million year on year.

According to Bolivia’s National Statistics Institute, silver concentrates export revenue has decreased 13 percent year on year, and now it amounts to $309.2 million. Sales revenue from tin has fallen 15 percent year on year and now stands at $8.1 million.

Previously, gold sales reached to $12.9 million. These figures have increased 58 percent year on year. Antimony rose has risen 6.7 percent year on year and now stands at $3 million.

Refined gold exports’ value as fallen by 50 percent or $377.8 million. In addition, refined silver has fallen by 22.3 percent or $51.7 million year on year.

In contrast, copper sales value has increased by 8.6 percent or to $28.2 million. Zinc exports revenue has also risen by 1.8 percent compared to June 2014, which amounts to $446.2 million.