Basalt production in Paraguay has reached million-dollar figures and is heavily concentrated in strategic regions, according to data from the Directorate of Mineral Resources, linked to the Vice Ministry of Mines and Energy and released by the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC). The department of Alto Paraná leads the sector with an estimated annual revenue of US$44.96 million, equivalent to 44.38% of the national total. The region hosts 20 quarries that are either active or in the process of formalization, consolidating itself as the main supply hub for the material.
In second place is the department of Presidente Hayes, in the Western region, with projected revenue of US$17.18 million (16.96% of the market). Together, the two departments concentrate more than 61% of the financial resources moved by the commercialization of the mineral. The department of Itapúa also stands out, both for the number of operational quarries and for the economic volume it injects into the production chain.
The financial projections were prepared based on the monthly extraction capacity declared by the companies and on the average reference values for annual commercialization in the work zones. The dynamism of the sector is directly linked to the strategic role of basalt in road infrastructure, large-scale civil works, and private real estate projects, which drive regional economies.
The economic impact of basalt mining goes beyond extraction: it generates a productive chain that directly moves transportation, logistics, and labor hiring, especially in departments with the largest crushing volumes. The survey by the Directorate of Mineral Resources also points to high potential for expansion in other regions with geological availability of unexplored mineral resources, which could integrate into the construction production chains with the decentralization of public investments in infrastructure and road connectivity.