Mining by country

Mining in Albania

Mining in Albania: the public figures we hold so far. The World Bank puts mineral rents at 0.2% of GDP (2021) and ores and metals at 5.6% of merchandise exports (2024). No world production share, mine or listed company project is recorded here yet.

Mineral rents0.2%of GDP, 2021. Higher than 70% of countries.
Ores and metals5.6%of merchandise exports, 2024.
Governance, World Bank WGI 2025
  • Rule of law-0.04above 52% of countries
  • Political stability+0.09above 47% of countries
  • Regulatory quality+0.30above 65% of countries
  • Control of corruption-0.30above 44% of countries
Estimates from −2.5 to +2.5; the bar sits at the country's score.

Mining in Albania at a glance

First recorded mining
1942 (surface collection of chromite ore, Bulqize). Extraction at Bulqize began in 1942 during the Italian occupation, by gathering ore from the surface. Source: Kosovo 2.0
Defining moment
Start of organised chromite mining at Bulqize, 1948. Bulqize is described as Albania's biggest chromite mine. Source: Kosovo 2.0
Mining law
Law No. 10 304/2010 on the mining sector. Sits alongside the mining strategy (DCM 479/2011) and the royalty procedure decision (DCM 7/2012). Source: USGS
Key mining regions
Bulqiza; Kukes; Librazhd; Tropoja (chromite districts); Fushe-Arrez (copper); Selenica (bitumen) Source: USGS
Main mines
Bulqiza chromite mine (near Tirana), Karma 2 mine near Shkodra, Lak Roshi mine, Munella mine Source: USGS

Mining employment from the ILO usually counts all of mining and quarrying, often with oil and gas; national shares of GDP and exports are as each source defines them.

History of mining in Albania

What the ground holds. chromium, copper, nickel, ferrochromium, cement, gypsum, lime, limestone, marble, sandstone, lignite, crude petroleum, natural gas and bitumen. Source: USGS

How prospectors changed the worldThe full mining timeline

Mining elsewhere in Europe

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World shares: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, latest year per mineral. Mineral rents, exports and governance: World Bank WDI and WGI. Trade: CEPII BACI. Projects: listed companies' announcements.

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Cover photos from Wikimedia Commons: The Big Hole by Rudolph Botha, CC BY-SA 3.0.