I once asked a Colombian business leader why her business publication was set to cover topics like Electric Power, Oil & Gas, and Infrastructure… but not mining.

“It’s very difficult to get accurate data on that sector,” she said. She also added that there is a mix of legal and illegal actors in the mining sector, making it very difficult to profile.

La Silla Vacia, a Colombian digital magazine, is doing something about that difficulty. They’ve just launched a special page (español) that will cover Colombia’s complex mining industry.

From the site…

Aunque la locomotora minera que prometió el presidente Juan Manuel Santos apenas prendió motores y todavía no ha comenzado ningún proyecto nuevo en su gobierno, la minería ya se convirtió en uno de los temas de debate más polarizadores en el país.

Even though the mining engine that President Juan Manuel Santos promised is hardly turning, and none of the new projects of his government have begun, mining has already turned into one of the most polarizing matters of debate in Colombia.

La Silla Vacía covers the mining sector, but also provides a database of the companies, players and interest groups that make it go.

More on Colombia’s mining sector here (español)