In 2024, El Salvador was not a globally significant producer of mineral commodities. Production of mineral commodities represented only a minor part of the economy. Mineral commodities produced in El Salvador included cement, raw steel, and steel products. The legislative framework for the mineral sector in El Salvador is provided by the Ley General de Minería Metálica [General Law on Metallic Mining] of 2024, which replaced the previous 2017 prohibition framework banning metal mining. The General Directorate of Energy, Hydrocarbons, and Mines, acting through its Directorate of Mines, oversees the mineral sector and provides administrative and regulatory services, while the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources monitors environmental compliance and water safety. Most mineral commodities were produced by private companies.
2024 Report
Full data release with tables here.
In 2024, El Salvador was not a globally significant producer of mineral commodities. Production of mineral commodities represented only a minor part of the economy. Mineral commodities produced in El Salvador included cement, raw steel, and steel products. The legislative framework for the mineral sector in El Salvador is provided by the Ley General de Minería Metálica [General Law on Metallic Mining] of 2024, which replaced the previous 2017 prohibition framework banning metal mining. The General Directorate of Energy, Hydrocarbons, and Mines, acting through its Directorate of Mines, oversees the mineral sector and provides administrative and regulatory services, while the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources monitors environmental compliance and water safety. Most mineral commodities were produced by private companies (Asamblea Legislativa, 2024; Associated Press, 2024).
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 the mineral industry of Ecuador can be found in previous editions of the U.S. Geological Survey Minerals Yearbook, volume III, Area Reports—International—Latin America and Canada, which are available at https://www.usgs.gov/centers/nmic/south-america.
Production table
(Metric tons, gross weight, unless otherwise specified)
References Cited
- Asamblea Legislativa, 2024, Asamblea legislativa aprueba ley de la minería metálica para impulsar el desarrollo económico [Legislative assembly approves metallic mining law to boost economic development]: San Salvador, El Salvador, Asamblea Legislativa, December 23. (Accessed February 23, 2026, via https://www.asamblea.gob.sv/node/13444.) [In Spanish.]
