Colombia issues first mining‑closure decree

The Colombian government issued Decree 0742 of 2026, establishing the first comprehensive regulations for the closure of mines in the country. The decree makes mine closure a mandatory stage of a project’s life cycle and sets out administrative, technical, social, labour, environmental and financial measures to be applied from exploitation through post‑closure monitoring. It defines several closure modalities – progressive, temporary, anticipatory, final and a technical gradual option for small‑scale mining – and requires community participation and labour transition plans.

Minister Irene Vélez highlighted the need to address decades‑long environmental and social liabilities, while Minister Edwin Palma stressed that the decree integrates workers, communities and territories into a just energy transition. The framework builds on Law 2327 of 2023, which identifies environmental liabilities that pose unacceptable risks to health or the environment. A 2016 study listed 1,843 sites at risk, many linked to mining, oil spills and pipeline attacks. The decree also outlines post‑closure land uses such as ecological restoration, biodiversity conservation, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, tourism and community infrastructure.