Simulating mining policies in developing countries: The case of Colombia

• Published in: Socio-economic planning sciences Vol. 60; pp. 99 - 113
• Main Authors: Arango-Aramburo, Santiago, Jaramillo, Patricia, Olaya, Yris, Smith, Ricardo, Restrepo, Oscar J., Saldarriaga-Isaza, Adrián, Arias-Gaviria, Jessica, Parra, Juan F., Larsen, Erik R., Gomez-Rios, Luz M., Castellanos-Niño, Lady Y.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-12-2017; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Colombia; Developing countries; Economic development; Economic factors; LDCs; Mining; Mining industry; Policy analysis; Policy-making; Scenarios; Side effects; Simulation; Social issues; System dynamics; Colombia; Mining; Scenarios; Colombia; System dynamics; Simulation; Policy-making
• ISSN: 0038-0121; 1873-6041
• DOI: 10.1016/j.seps.2017.04.002

Mining represents an important economic sector in almost all countries, especially the developing ones. The planning in this area is complex due to the interaction between different aspects like economic factors, environmental and social issues, and government regulation. A tool for policy analysis is needed to understand and test the effects of new and existing policies and avoid unanticipated side effects. The article develops a generic model for analyzing the mining sector of a country and demonstrates how it can be calibrated to test a set of alternative scenarios for the future of mining in Colombia.
•Mining represents an important economic sector in developing countries.•Planning is complex due to the nexus economic - environmental - social – government.•Tool for policy analysis are needed.•We develops a generic model for analyzing the mining sector of a country.•The model is calibrated and used for alternative scenarios for the future of mining in Colombia.