Switzerland

Overview  

In 2024, Switzerland was not a globally significant producer of mineral commodities aside from refined precious metals (gold, palladium, platinum, silver); the country was the world's largest importer and exporter of gold by value (Harmonized System chapter 7108), importing \$107 billion and exporting \$117 billion of gold in 2024. Other metallic mineral commodities produced in Switzerland included raw steel and semimanufactured steel; and industrial mineral commodities such as cement, gypsum, lime, nitrogen (ammonia), and salt. The Federal Government entrusts the legislative rights to underground mineral resources to its administrative districts, known as Cantons (Article 3 of the Federal Constitution; Swiss Civil Code, Article 664 ZGB). As such, mining law and mineral resource rights vary across the country. Mineral commodities were mostly produced by private companies; however, the Government of Switzerland (as represented by its 26 Cantons) and the Government of Liechtenstein shared ownership of Schweizer Salinen AG, the only salt producer in the country.