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Bosnia and Herzegovina

Statistics and information on the mining industry in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Overview


In 2024, Bosnia and Herzegovina was not a globally significant producer of mineral commodities. The mining and quarrying sector contributed 1.2% (\$351 million) in gross value to the country’s gross domestic product (\$29.6 billion). Mineral commodities produced in the country included alumina, aluminum, bauxite, bentonite, cement, ferroalloys, gypsum, iron ore, pig iron, kaolin, lead, lime, salt, sand and gravel, silicon, silver, soda ash, raw steel, stone, and zinc. 

Bosnia and Herzegovina is composed of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) and Republika Srpska. These entities separately govern the mining industry in their respective regions through their own agencies and policies. The legislative framework for the mineral sector in FBiH is provided by the Law on Concessions No. 40/02, as amended by Law No. 61/06; the Law on Geological Exploration No. 9/10; and the Law on Mining No. 26/10. The legislative framework for the mineral sector in Republika Srpska is provided by the Law on Mining of Republika Srpska No. 59/12; the Law on Concessions No. 59/13, amended by Law Nos. 16/18, 70/20, and 111/21; and the Law on Geological Research No. 110/13. In the FBiH, the Federal Ministry of Energy, Mining and Industry implements mining policy. It oversees the Department of Mining, which, among its other responsibilities, drafts mining and geology laws, reviews mining projects for approval, manages databases on mineral raw material reserves, and maintains a cadaster of exploration areas and exploitation fields. In Republika Srpska, the equivalent body is the Department of Mining and Geology, which operates under the Ministry of Energy and Mining. Most mineral commodities were produced by privately owned foreign companies. 

 

2024 Report

Full data release with tables here.


In 2024, Bosnia and Herzegovina was not a globally significant producer of mineral commodities. The mining and quarrying sector contributed 1.2% (\$351 million) in gross value to the country’s gross domestic product (\$29.6 billion). Mineral commodities produced in the country included alumina, aluminum, bauxite, bentonite, cement, ferroalloys, gypsum, iron ore, pig iron, kaolin, lead, lime, salt, sand and gravel, silicon, silver, soda ash, raw steel, stone, and zinc. 

Bosnia and Herzegovina is composed of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) and Republika Srpska. These entities separately govern the mining industry in their respective regions through their own agencies and policies. The legislative framework for the mineral sector in FBiH is provided by the Law on Concessions No. 40/02, as amended by Law No. 61/06; the Law on Geological Exploration No. 9/10; and the Law on Mining No. 26/10. The legislative framework for the mineral sector in Republika Srpska is provided by the Law on Mining of Republika Srpska No. 59/12; the Law on Concessions No. 59/13, amended by Law Nos. 16/18, 70/20, and 111/21; and the Law on Geological Research No. 110/13. In the FBiH, the Federal Ministry of Energy, Mining and Industry implements mining policy. It oversees the Department of Mining, which, among its other responsibilities, drafts mining and geology laws, reviews mining projects for approval, manages databases on mineral raw material reserves, and maintains a cadaster of exploration areas and exploitation fields. In Republika Srpska, the equivalent body is the Department of Mining and Geology, which operates under the Ministry of Energy and Mining. Most mineral commodities were produced by privately owned foreign companies (Government of Republika Srpska, 2019a, b; Agency for Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2025, p. 3; Federal Ministry of Energy, Mining and Industry, 2025; Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2025a, b; National Assembly of Republika Srpska, 2025).  

Data on mineral production are in the Production table (formerly table 1). The Facilities table (formerly table 2) is a list of major mineral industry facilities. More-extensive coverage of government policies and programs can be found in previous editions of this chapter in the U.S. Geological Survey Minerals Yearbook, volume III, Area Reports — International — Europe and Central Eurasia, which are available at https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/europ…;

 

Production Table

(Metric tons, gross weight, unless otherwise specified)


Table includes data available through August 5, 2025. All data are reported unless otherwise noted. Estimated data are rounded to no more than three significant digits. In addition to the commodities listed, common clay, crude ceramic clay, magnesite, manganese ore, secondary aluminum, and steel semimanufactures may have been produced, but available information was inadequate to make reliable estimates of output.
Commodity 20202021202220232024
Alumina122,241172,974180,278137,968140,915
Bauxite619,748675,269669,926548,160550,000e
Bentonite69,18375,76128,17337,87838,782
Cement, hydraulic1,126,4901,096,5261,191,8661,336,0571,485,309
Ferroalloys, ferrosilicon1,000e14,000e14,000e1400e1300e1
Gypsum, crude, including anhydrite140,944297,225135,408104,125105,966
Iron ore, mine1,427,4101,553,9611,286,2831,238,6091,020,137
Iron ore, mine, Fe content885,000e963,000e806,000e744,000e740,000e
Kaolin108,17462,59924,52921,54120,000e
Lead, mine, concentrates12,800e21,33314,400e25,28526,835
Lead, mine, concentrates, Pb content7,1008,5479,0609,30311,000e
Lime501,047573,562914,332569,369390,011
Pig iron739,0581,066,238756,736569,589514,846
Raw steel759,279774,831653,246582,053600,000
Salt, all sources1,075,6841,105,5021,191,1551,252,7781,140,819
Sand and gravel, construction, gravel1,413,2472,171,7862,104,6912,052,1002,000,000e
Sand and gravel, construction, sand994,529820,031993,224285,8091,543,429
Sand and gravel, industrial, unspecified119,198123,618149,763106,114100,000e
Silicon, metal14,64135,91924,8596,4046,000e
Silver, mine, Ag content (kilograms)NANANANA14,9682
Soda ash, synthetic, sodium bicarbonate105,240111,931110,930106,885110,000e
Stone, crushed, aggregate5,490,2645,437,8195,440,5882,719,8933,000,000e
Stone, crushed, limestone2,895,1742,598,7612,624,1262,854,1901,922,085
Stone, dimension, dolomite, crude25,55012,17759,30833,45112,514
Stone, dimension, ecaussine, including other calcareous stone272,759248,545285,033268,248270,000e
Stone, dimension, granite4,5444,8320e00e
Stone, dimension, marble, including travertine1,8178911,0171,7621,500e
Stone, dimension, slate8,2721,95418,7673,3623,000e
Stone, size and shape unspecified, chalk18,6782,7902,14011,83510,000e
Zinc, mine, concentrates21,200e12,400e15,000e15,000e19,000e
Zinc, mine, concentrates, Zn content12,000e8,000e7,000e7,000e11,000e
e Estimated.
NA Not available.
1 Data were determined from exports.
2 Vares Mine, the only silver mine in the country, began production in 2024. 2024 production was reported as 481,245 ounces.

 

References Cited


  • Agency for Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2025, First release—Economic statistics—Gross domestic product of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2024—Production approach, first results: Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Agency for Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina, July 28, 5 p. (Accessed August 14, 2025, at https://bhas.gov.ba/data/Publikacije/Saopstenja/2025/NAC_02_2024_Y1_0_B….) 
  • Federal Ministry of Energy, Mining and Industry, 2025, Sektor rudarstva [Department of Mining]: Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Federal Ministry of Energy, Mining and Industry. (Accessed August 14, 2025, at https://fmeri.gov.ba/ministarstvo/sektor-rudarstva/.) [In Bosnian.] 
  • Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2025b, Zakoni [Laws]: Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. (August 14, 2025, at https://fbihvlada.gov.ba/en/zakoni?page=1.) [In Bosnian.] 

 

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