To transition to carbon neutrality by the year 2050, copper, lithium, rare earths, cobalt, nickel, and silver are essential due to their use in the manufacture of electric cars, lithium batteries, wind turbines, solar panels, motors, and electrical wiring. The main goal of this study is to carry out a mining approach of the prospective areas of Colombia with strategic minerals for energy transition and climate change, analyzing the geospatial location, mining rights, mineral extraction, and royalty collection. Open data from SGC, ANM, and SIMCO geoportals were consulted. The prospective areas totaled 311,535.2 km², equivalent to 27.3% of Colombia, and were located mainly in the Andes Mountains. The total area of mining rights and applications with strategic minerals for the energy transition is 112,802.2 km² or 9.9% of Colombia, representing 5731 rights and 3939 applications. From 2012 to 2023, 448,330 tons of nickel, 172.9 tons of silver, and 171.6 tons of copper were mined in Colombia, which has contributed USD 513,140,286 as royalties to the state. No royalties have been earned from the extraction of rare earths, lithium, or cobalt. Fulfilling the Paris Agreement is possible with new sustainable mining projects of strategic minerals.

Sustainable Mining Districts (SMDs) have recently emerged as a territorial governance approach for promoting sustainable mining; however, no integrated conceptual framework currently exists to support their strategic planning. This study develops the first multidimensional conceptual framework for SMDs by integrating evidence from the scientific literature, institutional analysis, and territorial characterization, using Colombia as an illustrative case. The results reveal a growing international research emphasis on sustainability, governance, and territorial planning in mining, together with an emerging institutional transition toward district-scale governance. These findings support the identification of eleven complementary planning dimensions—geological, mining, transformation, environmental, social, market, economic, financial, infrastructure, legal, and governance—that collectively characterize SMDs as integrated territorial systems rather than solely geological or administrative units. The proposed framework provides a structured conceptual basis for organizing multidisciplinary information and supporting strategic territorial planning through an illustrative set of key performance indicators (KPIs). Although conceived as a proof of concept requiring future empirical validation, the framework offers a foundation for evidence-informed planning and governance of mining territories in Colombia and other mineral-producing regions.