In an unprecedented event in Colombia’s history, the El Zancudo Mine began operations in the mid-19th century in the village of Titiribí, situated in south-western Antioquia.
El Zancudo undertook major industrial projects, such as setting up its own foundry, operating coal mines and establishing a bank to finance its commercial activities. Among its principal partners were two key figures in the history of Antioquia: Coriolano Amador and Juan Bautista Mainero y Trucco.
The impact of this mining company was reflected in the region’s economic and social growth. New companies emerged in the transport, mining and agribusiness sectors. A skilled workforce was established, and the first local mining engineers were trained, who were proficient in the smelting and extraction of precious metals.
El Zancudo’s surpluses stimulated regional development across a range of sectors: banking, trade, livestock farming, and the cultivation of tobacco, sugar cane, coffee, vanilla and wheat, as well as road infrastructure, railway construction, and river and maritime transport.
This momentum also encouraged the establishment of industries in Medellín, such as gunpowder factories, mills, chocolate factories, and machinery and tool workshops.
