Boyaca

The Muisca mined emeralds here before the Spanish arrived, and Boyacá still produces the world's finest. Colombian emeralds constitute 50-95% of global premium production depending on year and grade, with deposits concentrated around Muzo, Coscuez, and Chivor in Boyacá's western mountains. The 'green fire' trade built fortunes and fueled violence—the 'emerald wars' of the 1980s-90s killed thousands. Peace came through cartel consolidation, not state enforcement. Today the mines operate more formally, though artisanal extraction persists.

Beyond emeralds, Boyacá built Colombia's industrial backbone. Sogamoso—the 'City of Sun and Steel'—anchors a corridor that produces 55% of national steel and holds 6% of the global coke market. The department ranks ninth in total GDP but third in per-capita output, a manufacturing density unusual for highland Colombia. Recent discoveries of rare earth deposits in coal seams hint at future strategic importance. A €1.6 billion medium-speed train project would connect Boyacá to Bogotá, potentially tripling economic growth by 2050 according to regional projections.

By 2026, Boyacá will test whether mineral wealth finally translates to broad prosperity. Emerald fortunes concentrate in few hands; steel jobs face automation pressure; rare earths require processing capacity the country lacks. If the train project advances and rare-earth extraction develops responsibly, Boyacá could model Colombia's industrial future. If emeralds and steel remain enclave economies while rural communities stay poor, the department proves that subterranean wealth doesn't automatically surface.