How did natural gas become Bolivia’s most valuable legal export by the mid-1980s?

Natural gas became Bolivia’s most valuable legal export by the mid-1980s primarily because of the decline in the global market for tin, which had previously been the cornerstone of the nation's economy.12

During the early 1980s, the Bolivian economy faced severe stagnation due to falling tin prices, high debt, and hyperinflation. As the profitability of traditional mineral exports diminished, natural gas production—which had seen successful development in the Santa Cruz region—emerged as a critical economic pillar. By the mid-1980s, natural gas accounted for more than half of the country's official total export earnings, with Argentina serving as the primary destination for these exports.21