Minerales para la transición energética en Colombia

This report by Transforma and the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) analyzes the governance of energy transition minerals in Colombia, focusing on copper and nickel. Using the Quebradona copper project and the Cerro Matoso nickel mine as case studies, the document identifies systemic failures in environmental and social safeguards, including the criminalization of protest, violations of prior consultation rights, and inadequate benefit distribution. It proposes a set of safeguards aligned with UN principles to ensure that the extraction of strategic minerals does not reproduce historical patterns of inequality and socio-environmental conflict.

• Colombia is a leading producer of nickel in the region, ranking as the first producer in South America and the third in Latin America between 2021 and 2023, with an annual production of approximately 40,000 tonnes.
• The Quebradona copper project in Jericó and Támesis has been associated with the deterioration of civic space, including the judicialization of approximately 80 farmers and the criminal indictment of at least 11 leaders following the unauthorized dismantling of a drilling platform.
• The Cerro Matoso nickel mine, the largest ferronickel mine in South America, is cited as a critical reference for how extractive models can generate persistent negative impacts on local ecosystems and community life, exacerbated by a history of armed conflict.
• There are significant failures in the guarantee of prior consultation rights for ethnic peoples. In the Quebradona project, the 2019 Environmental Impact Study (EIA) excluded the municipality of Támesis and the Emberá Chamí indigenous reserve La Mirla from the direct area of influence without sufficient technical justification.
• Employment in the mining sector often exhibits gender segregation and low stability. At the Quebradona mine in 2024, women made up 29% of direct employees and were primarily hired for cleaning and kitchen roles, even when possessing academic qualifications.
• Water access and quality are primary drivers of socio-environmental conflict. In Jericó and Támesis, communities have reported a decrease in the flow of the community aqueduct since 2010, which they link to exploratory drilling by the Quebradona project.
• The report identifies a 'technical language barrier' used as a tool of domination, where specialized terminology and a lack of internet access in rural areas prevent local populations from accessing information about mining projects.
• The National Mining Agency (ANM) denied a request for an extension of the exploration phase for the Quebradona project in December 2025 due to a lack of environmental viability, poor social relations with communities, and the absence of a required new EIA.
• The document proposes several safeguards for the Colombian context, including requiring environmental licenses for the exploration phase (as recommended by the OECD), implementing participatory Environmental Impact Studies (EIA) that bind local knowledge, and creating a national public registry of mine closures.

APA

Bermudez, J. F., Ramos, Y. P., Busconi, A., Patiño, D. C. B., Mogollón, A. M., Marengo, M., Peña, J., Tapia, P. Z., Rojas, M. A., & Patzy, F. (2026). Minerales para la transición energética en Colombia. Transforma. https://transforma.global/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/260407-MineralesColombia.pdf

Chicago

Bermudez, Juliette F., Yessica Prieto Ramos, Antonela Busconi, Diana Carolina Barba Patiño, Ana María Mogollón, Melissa Marengo, Juliana Peña, et al. Minerales para la transición energética en Colombia. Transforma, 2026. https://transforma.global/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/260407-MineralesColombia.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Bermudez |first1=Juliette F. |last2=Ramos |first2=Yessica Prieto |last3=Busconi |first3=Antonela |last4=Patiño |first4=Diana Carolina Barba |last5=Mogollón |first5=Ana María |last6=Marengo |first6=Melissa |last7=Peña |first7=Juliana |last8=Tapia |first8=Pedro Zapata |last9=Rojas |first9=María Angélica |display-authors=etal |title=Minerales para la transición energética en Colombia |publisher=Transforma |date=March 2026 |url=https://transforma.global/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/260407-MineralesColombia.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bermudez2026minerales, author = {Bermudez, Juliette F. and Ramos, Yessica Prieto and Busconi, Antonela and Patiño, Diana Carolina Barba and Mogollón, Ana María and Marengo, Melissa and Peña, Juliana and Tapia, Pedro Zapata and Rojas, María Angélica and Patzy, Fernando}, title = {{Minerales para la transición energética en Colombia}}, institution = {Transforma}, year = {2026}, month = mar, url = {https://transforma.global/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/260407-MineralesColombia.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }