In Colombia, imaginaries of the future woven around gold mining have been shaped and cemented through the promotion of images and figures linked to discourses of progress, development, modernity and wealth. This paper outlines a historical overview of these various imaginaries, clearly showing that, while some differences exist between periods, continuities can be observed among representation schemes built to perceive and conceive mining as well as its relationship with the future. It is argued that the mining activity has relied on narratives with fundamentally symbolic and cultural dimensions, which has enabled its establishment, consolidation and expansion across Colombia since the early twentieth century. The paper concludes that there are conflicting imaginaries about mining today, additionally, it points out that the predominance of pro-mining narratives poses a major threat as they tend to legitimize the ruling power, to prevent the emergence of alternative models of society and to make dissenting voices invisible.