Coal mining in Colombia is undertaken entirely by private sector mining companies. The largest coal mining operation is that of Carbones del Cerrejón LLC in the Department of la Guajira. The company which is a joint venture of Anglo American (33%), Glencore International (33%) and BHP Billiton (33%) produced 31.3 million tonnes in 2008. It operates the Cerrejon Centro mines, Cerrejon Sur mines, Cerrejon Zonoa Norte and Oreganal mines in the La Guajira Department. The U.S. Geological Survey reports that in 2005 59% of the company's exports went to Europe with a further 22% to North America.

Colombia is the world's tenth largest producer of hard coals and the fourth largest exporter of coal, based on 2009 data. The U.S. Geological Survey states that Colombia is the largest coal producer in South America and has the largest reserves in the region. It also states that coal mining for export is booming in Colombia, with production having increased by 80% since 1999.

Coal output in 2010 stood at 74.35 million tons, a 2% increase from 2009 but below the government's target of 80 million tons, reportedly due to unusually heavy rains in the last months of the year. Colombia's total coal exports for 2010 came in at 68.14 million tons. Carlos Rodado, Colombia's mining minister, has said coal output will reach 144 million tons in 2020.

The other major mining company is Drummond Ltd., which produced 22 million tonnes from its La Loma mine in Cesar Department. The company also operates the El Descanso mine, which it is aiming to expand from its current 3 million tonnes per annum production to 25 million tonnes.

Other coal mining projects includes the Calenturitas mine in Cesar Department by C.I. Prodeco S.A, which is entirely owned by Glencore International. In 2005 this 5 million tonnes. The next largest coal mine is a privately owned Paz del Rio mine in Boyaca Department which produced 600,000 tonnes.