April 13, 2020. Hermosillo, Sonora, México. 

On March 31, 2020, the Federal Government of Mexico, represented by Hugo López-Gatell Ramírez, the Undersecretary of Prevention and Promotion of Health of the Ministry of Health declared that all non-essential activities would be suspended effective immediately until April 30 due to the current health emergency. To great surprise and astonishment, mining was classified as a non-essential activity and nearly every mining operation and exploration project in the country came to an immediate halt by government decree. The mining community loudly protested the decree since mining is the first link in the chain of supply providing the basic materials needed by nearly every critical infrastructure sector including healthcare, emergency services, transportation systems, information technology, energy, communications, food and agriculture. 

What is critical infrastructure?

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) defines critical infrastructure to be those sectors of the economy whose “assets, systems and networks, whether physical or virtual, are considered so vital to the nation that their incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating effect on security, national economy, national public health or safety, or any combination thereof.” In times of war, economic crises, terrorist attacks, epidemics and natural disasters, the protection and reconstruction of critical infrastructure is of the highest importance. Identification of the critical infrastructure sectors guides decision-makers in establishing priorities during times of crisis. Many developing countries follow the general guidelines set forth by the United States government which recognizes 16 essential critical infrastructure sectors as set forth below:

If It’s Not Grown, It’s Mined

Mexico is ranked among the ten most important mining countries in the world, providing a large percentage of the mineral resources necessary for global consumption. Mexico is the largest producer of Silver, with 23% of the global production and is among the top 10 producers of bismuth, fluorite, wollastonite, cadmium, molybdenum, lead, zinc, diatomite, salt, barite, graphite, gypsum, gold and copper. Mexico also produces a significant amount of iron and coal. Mine closures in Mexico do not just hurt the mining companies and the communities where they operate, but also affect the security and economic well-being of the country as well as causing widespread hardships throughout the global community by limiting the availability of materials needed for critical infrastructure. 

Lost production is never recovered.

Temporary suspension of mining has a lasting effect because lost production is never recovered. It is lost production. The consequences extend far beyond the duration of any temporary stoppage.

What is being done to reverse Mexico’s decree suspending mining activity?

CAMIMEX (the Mexico Mining Chamber) in collaboration with other business organizations such as CONCAMIN (Mexican Confederation of Industrial Chambers) and the CCE (Business Coordinating Council), the federal government through the Undersecretary of Mining of the Ministry of Economy and governors from mining states immediately protested the decree to suspend all mining activity in Mexico. Mining industry professionals from both the public and private sectors are coordinating efforts to present the case to the Federal Health Council that mining is an essential activity and should be considered a top priority during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Environmentally and Socially Responsible

The modern mining industry is environmentally and socially responsible and has collaborated with local communities and governments around the world to slow the spread of Covid-19 through reduction of onsite workforce, restricting visits to the mining sites, strict enforcement of the use of face masks, gloves and protective clothing, testing employees for symptoms of viral infection and enforcing quarantine for sick employees. Mines are a fundamental part of the communities where they operate, often providing the main source of income for local governments and providing basic services to the surrounding communities such as health, education and infrastructure. Any mine closure worldwide should be analyzed on a case by case basis to determine the cost/benefit of the closure and not through a blanket declaration suspending all mining operations.

Douglas Coleman, President & CEO

Mexico Mining Centerwww.mexicominingcenter.com