Spanish
Dominican Republic reached the highest value of mining exports in 2025, so that period closed with an accumulated value that exceeds US$2.59 billion, which makes 2025 the year with the highest exports in that sector of the economy, of which US$2.383
This value represents a 52% growth compared to 2024, when mining exports totaled US$1,712.7 million, and if compared to previous historical data, such as 2021, it can be observed that US$2,159.5 million were recorded, equivalent to 20%, according to data from the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic.
The information was provided by the Minister of Energy and Mines, Joel Santos, who stated that the last quarter of the year stands out in the 2025 growth, representing US$825.9 million, which is 67% higher than the same period in 2024.
The head of Energy and Mines specified that mining maintains a significant participation within national exports, concentrating more than 40% of the total exported value, with gold as the main item in the sector, which consolidates its strategic importance for the Dominican economy.
He stated that the figures for the last quarter of 2025 represent an increase of nearly 14.0%, compared to July-September of that year, which were more than US$720 million, driven primarily by gold and silver exports.
Santos stated that these results are the product of management aimed at strengthening investments and institutional reinforcement. He pointed out that the advances in the mining sector translate into a boost to the national economy.
Importance of foreign investment
In addition to export figures, Minister Santos highlighted that the Dominican mining sector consolidated its attractiveness as a destination for foreign capital in 2025. Official data indicate that mining captured more than US$556.3 million in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) between January and September, representing approximately 14% of the total FDI received by the country in that period, according to figures from the Central Bank.
"This leadership responds to the sustained performance of products such as gold, silver and copper, which concentrate a significant part of the exported value and contribute decisively to the generation of foreign currency, employment and investment," he pointed out.
Santos stated that, overall, the energy and mining sector accounted for around 40% of all FDI captured by the Dominican Republic in 2025, consolidating itself as one of the main axes of attraction of foreign capital within the national economy.
Sustainable growth and diversification
The Minister of Energy and Mines specified that, in addition to this, there is the growth of artisanal mining, specifically of larimar, which that year achieved international recognition with the Denomination of Origin “Larimar Barahona”, registered with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), under the Lisbon Agreement, which strengthens its protection.
The minister also indicated that the Dominican Republic registered significant progress during 2025 with the exploitation of rare earths in the province of Pedernales. Likewise, the revision and discussion of Mining Law 146-71 advanced, with the aim of modernizing the legal framework and depositing it in the National Congress in the first quarter of this 2026.
Likewise, it made progress in social matters, including the formalization of the resettlement agreement for the expansion of the mining operation in Cotuí, Sánchez Ramírez province, which contemplates an investment of over RD$20,000 million for the development of the communities.
