Mining by country

Mining in Somalia

Mining in Somalia: the public figures we hold so far. The World Bank puts mineral rents close to zero (2021) and ores and metals at 0% of merchandise exports (1982). 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 metals0%of merchandise exports, 1982.
Governance, World Bank WGI 2025
  • Rule of law-2.17above 0% of countries
  • Political stability-2.17above 1% of countries
  • Regulatory quality-1.71above 3% of countries
  • Control of corruption-1.69above 0% of countries
Estimates from −2.5 to +2.5; the bar sits at the country's score.

Mining in Somalia at a glance

Mining law
Mining Law of 1984. Along with the Petroleum Law of 2008 and Articles 43, 44 and 54 of the Provisional Constitution. Source: USGS
Main mines
Darreh Hos (niobium), Mur Bakayale (niobium), Mait Island Guano (phosphate), Dalan (tin) Source: USGS
Signature minerals
none 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 Somalia

What the ground holds. bauxite, copper, gypsum, iron-ore, salt, tin and uranium. Source: USGS

How prospectors changed the worldThe full mining timeline

Mining elsewhere in Africa

South AfricaDR CongoMozambiqueGhanaMadagascarRwandaNigeriaGuineaMoroccoTanzania

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.

Keep exploring

Stories from Somalia and its minerals

The world runs on rockThe BatteryInside a lithium-ion cellThe Big Hole at Kimberley, South Africa, seen from above, with water at the bottomMining historyThe Big Hole, KimberleyDiamonds · South AfricaThe world runs on rockThe ChipThe minerals inside every computer chipGold drill-hole columns rising over the Yilgarn goldfields on a satellite map of Western AustraliaData storyUnder Western AustraliaDrill holes · Western Australia

All mining storiesThe world runs on rockAll mineralsMining by country

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