ABSTRACT
This chapter offers many aspects of coal policy, three have been chosen for a more detailed presentation: the supply of coal to Bogota, which constituted one of the few times the fuel attained public prominence, and attempts to export from the province of Cali from Cerrejon on the Atlantic coast. National policies toward coal were lacking partly because regional priorities have generally predominated in coal policies. The inadequate transportation system within Colombia made it easier for the Atlantic coast provinces to import coal from England and the United States than to transport it from the interior of Colombia. Although fuel oil could riot replace coal in all areas, mine owners began to fear a sudden drop in their incomes. The new markets for coal within Colombia can be classified under the principal headings of steam-generating plants, cement factories, and steel, but there are also other important consumers, such as breweries and chemical plants.
