Cordoba

Cerro Matoso made Córdoba Colombia's only nickel producer—and a linchpin of the global energy transition before most Colombians knew what that meant. The open-pit mine in Montelíbano started operations in 1982 and grew into Latin America's largest ferronickel operation, producing around 43,500 tons annually and ranking second worldwide. But Córdoba's deeper history is cattle: the Sinú River valley has supported ranching since colonial haciendas first cleared the tropical forest, and today seven Caribbean departments including Córdoba have livestock as their primary economic vocation.

The tension between cattle and conservation defines Córdoba's present. Deforestation for ranching accelerated after the 2016 peace accords opened formerly FARC-controlled territory; the national cattle census has grown 48% since then. Meanwhile, Cerro Matoso faces environmental litigation over health impacts on surrounding communities, even as nickel's role in EV batteries makes the mine strategically essential. Food insecurity affects 47.6% of residents—the third-highest rate in Colombia—suggesting that neither cattle wealth nor mining royalties reach most households.

By 2026, Córdoba will test whether transition minerals can coexist with sustainable ranching and actually reduce poverty. The Petro government is pushing copper-gold exploration in Córdoba while promising 'clean energy' credentials. If mining royalties finally reach communities and deforestation curves flatten, Córdoba could model responsible resource extraction. If not, it remains a textbook case of the resource curse.