Editing Belize (section)

===Natural resources and energy===

Belize is known to have a number of economically important minerals, but none in quantities large enough to warrant mining. These minerals include [[Dolomite (mineral)|dolomite]], [[barite]] (source of [[barium]]), [[bauxite]] (source of aluminium), [[cassiterite]] (source of tin), and gold. In 1990 [[limestone]], used in road construction, was the only mineral resource exploited for domestic or export use.

In 2006, the cultivation of newly discovered [[crude oil]] in the town of [[Spanish Lookout]] has presented new prospects and problems for this developing nation.<ref name="Maya Homeland">{{cite web|last=Burnett|first=John|date=11 October 2006|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6248500|title=Large Oil Field Is Found in Belize; the Angling Begins|website=NPR|access-date=5 April 2018|archive-date=12 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412132817/https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6248500|url-status=live}}</ref>

Access to [[biocapacity]] in Belize is much higher than world average. In 2016, Belize had 3.8 global hectares<ref name=footprintdata>{{cite web|url=http://data.footprintnetwork.org/#/countryTrends,EFCpc|title=Country Trends|publisher=Global Footprint Network|access-date=24 June 2020|archive-date=8 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808050235/http://data.footprintnetwork.org/#/countryTrends,EFCpc|url-status=live}}</ref> of biocapacity per person within its territory, much more than the world average of 1.6 global hectares per person.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Lin |first1=David |last2=Hanscom |first2=Laurel |last3=Murthy |first3=Adeline |last4=Galli |first4=Alessandro |last5=Evans |first5=Mikel |last6=Neill |first6=Evan |last7=Mancini |first7=MariaSerena |last8=Martindill |first8=Jon |last9=Medouar |first9=FatimeZahra |last10=Huang |first10=Shiyu |last11=Wackernagel |first11=Mathis |display-authors=6 |date=2018 |title=Ecological Footprint Accounting for Countries: Updates and Results of the National Footprint Accounts, 2012–2018 |journal=Resources |language=en |volume=7 |issue=3 |pages=58 |doi=10.3390/resources7030058 |doi-access=free|bibcode=2018Resou...7...58L }}</ref> In 2016 Belize used 5.4 global hectares of biocapacity per person – their [[ecological footprint]] of consumption. This means they use more biocapacity than Belize contains. As a result, Belize is running a biocapacity deficit.<ref name=footprintdata/>