Mining by country

Mining in Montenegro

Mining in Montenegro: the public figures we hold so far. The World Bank puts mineral rents close to zero (2021) and ores and metals at 15% of merchandise exports (2025). No world production share, mine or listed company project is recorded here yet.

Mineral rents0%of GDP, 2021. Higher than 62% of countries.
Ores and metals15%of merchandise exports, 2025.
Governance, World Bank WGI 2025
  • Rule of law+0.21above 57% of countries
  • Political stability+0.45above 60% of countries
  • Regulatory quality+0.21above 61% of countries
  • Control of corruption+0.07above 57% of countries
Estimates from −2.5 to +2.5; the bar sits at the country's score.

Mining in Montenegro at a glance

First recorded mining
1243 (earliest written mention of Brskovo). The article's abstract gives 1243 as the earliest recorded mention in written sources of the medieval mining town of Brskovo. Source: Bulgarian Historical Review
Defining moment
Pljevlja lignite output peaks at nearly 2.7 Mt, 1985. The mine, with the power utility, forms the main energy system of Montenegro, says the mine's own history. Source: Rudnik uglja Pljevlja
Mining law
Law on Mining (No. 74/10) (2010). Other laws: Concessions (8/09), Geological Explorations (28/11), Hydrocarbons (62/13). Source: USGS
Key mining regions
Mojkovac (Brskovo); Pljevlja Source: Bulgarian Historical Review
Main mines
Suplja Stijena mine (near Pljevlja), Pljevlja mine, Niksic mine, Berane 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 Montenegro

What the ground holds. bauxite, aluminium, lead, zinc, lignite, stone, sand and gravel and marble. 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.