Mining by country

Mining in Estonia

Mining in Estonia: the public figures we hold so far. The World Bank puts mineral rents close to zero (2021) and ores and metals at 1.8% of merchandise exports (2025). No world production share, mine or listed company project is recorded here yet.

Mineral rents0%of GDP, 2021. Higher than 0% of countries.
Ores and metals1.8%of merchandise exports, 2025.
Governance, World Bank WGI 2025
  • Rule of law+1.43above 89% of countries
  • Political stability+0.89above 76% of countries
  • Regulatory quality+1.37above 91% of countries
  • Control of corruption+1.64above 93% of countries
Estimates from −2.5 to +2.5; the bar sits at the country's score.

Mining in Estonia at a glance

Mining in GDP0.8%2019. Mining and quarrying share of GDP, 2019.Source: USGS
Mining jobs3,6792018. Annual average employment in mining and quarrying, 2018 (0.6% of the workforce).Source: USGS
First recorded mining
1916 to 1917 (Russian research on the oil shale deposits). The museum dates the first research data on Estonian oil shale to 1916 and 1917. Source: Kohtla-Jarve Oil Shale Museum
Defining moment
Independence in 1991 and loss of the Russian oil shale market. The industry survived on nationally fixed electricity prices after 1991, and returned to shale oil production after 2005. Source: Kohtla-Jarve Oil Shale Museum
Mining law
Earth's Crust Act (2005). In force from April 2005; a 2017 amendment folded in the Mining Act of 2003. Source: USGS
Key mining regions
Ida-Virumaa (kukersite oil shale, north-east Estonia) Source: Tallinn University of Technology, Oil…

Official sitesGeological survey

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 Estonia

What the ground holds. oil shale; peat Source: USGS

How prospectors changed the worldThe full mining timeline

Mining elsewhere in Europe

RussiaSpainSwedenGermanyNorwayPolandAustriaPortugalFranceUkraine

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.