Production, refining and reserves
| Commodity | Metric | Value | World rank · share | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cobalt | Mine production 2023 | 300 t Co content | #19 · 0.1% | USGS Minerals Yearbook 2023 (cobalt), table 7 |
| Cobalt | Refinery production 2023 | 50 t Co content (refined) | #14 · 0% | USGS Minerals Yearbook 2023 (cobalt), table 8 |
| Copper | Mine production 2025 | 690,000 t Cu content | #11 · 3% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Copper | Refinery production 2025 | 480,000 t Cu content | #12 · 2% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Copper | Reserves 2025 | 53 million t Cu content | #6 · 5% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Graphite (natural) | Mine production 2025 | 740 t natural graphite | #14 · 0% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Graphite (natural) | Reserves 2025 | 3.1 million t natural graphite | #11 · 1% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Antimony | Mine production 2025 | 600 t Sb content | #10 · 0.5% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Antimony | Reserves 2025 | 18,000 t Sb content | #13 · 0.9% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Fluorspar | Mine production 2025 | 1.5 million t fluorspar | #2 · 15% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Fluorspar | Reserves 2025 | 68 million t fluorspar | #2 · 21% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Barite | Mine production 2025 | 300,000 t barite | #6 · 3% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Barite | Reserves 2015 | 7 million t barite | #8 · 2% | USGS MCS 2016 |
| Manganese | Mine production 2023 | 568,000 t manganese ore (gross weight) | #11 · 1% | USGS Minerals Yearbook 2023 (manganese), table 6 |
| Manganese | Reserves 2023 | 5 million t (basis not stated) | #10 · 0.3% | USGS MCS 2024 |
| Zinc | Mine production 2025 | 780,000 t Zn content | #5 · 6% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Zinc | Reserves 2025 | 14 million t Zn content | #5 · 6% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Phosphate rock | Mine production 2025 | 450,000 t marketable phosphate rock (gross weight) | #24 · 0.2% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Phosphate rock | Reserves 2025 | 30 million t marketable phosphate rock (gross weight) | #22 · 0% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Molybdenum | Mine production 2025 | 17,000 t Mo content | #5 · 7% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Molybdenum | Reserves 2025 | 130,000 t Mo content | #8 · 0.8% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Lead | Mine production 2025 | 200,000 t Pb content | #7 · 4% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Lead | Reserves 2025 | 5.6 million t Pb content | #4 · 6% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Uranium | Resources 2023 | 5,100 t U content | #49 · 0.1% | NEA/IAEA Red Book 2024 (Uranium 2024), Table 1.2a, <USD 260/kgU |
| Bismuth | Refinery production 2022 | 10 t Bi (refined metal) | — | USGS MCS 2023 |
| Bismuth | Reserves 2016 | 10,000 t Bi content | #4 · 3% | USGS MCS 2017 |
| Strontium (celestite) | Mine production 2025 | 20,000 t celestite (gross weight) | #4 · 4% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Selenium | Refinery production 2025 | 88 t Se content (refined) | #7 · 2% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Iron ore | Mine production 2025 | 7.7 million t usable iron ore | #17 · 0.3% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Iron ore | Reserves 2025 | 940 million t crude ore | #16 · 0.5% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Arsenic | Refinery production 2010 | 1,000 t arsenic trioxide (gross weight) | — | USGS MCS 2011 |
| Cadmium | Refinery production 2025 | 1,000 t Cd metal | #6 · 4% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Cadmium | Reserves 2013 | 47,000 t Cd content | #3 · 9% | USGS MCS 2014 |
| Mercury | Mine production 2022 | 40 t Hg content | — | USGS MCS 2023 |
| Mercury | Reserves 2013 | 27,000 t Hg content | #1 · 29% | USGS MCS 2014 |
| Silver | Mine production 2025 | 6,300 t Ag content | #1 · 24% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Silver | Reserves 2025 | 37,000 t Ag content | #6 · 6% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Sulfur | Refinery production 2018 | 550,000 t S content | — | USGS MCS 2019 |
| Soda ash | Mine production 2015 | 290,000 t sodium carbonate (natural) | — | USGS MCS 2016 |
| Soda ash | Reserves 2015 | 200 million t sodium carbonate (natural) | #3 · 0.8% | USGS MCS 2016 |
| Lime | Refinery production 2012 | 6.4 million t lime | — | USGS MCS 2013 |
| Feldspar | Mine production 2023 | 460,000 t feldspar | — | USGS MCS 2024 |
| Gold | Mine production 2025 | 140 t Au content | #7 · 4% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Gold | Reserves 2025 | 1,400 t Au content | #12 · 2% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Nitrogen (ammonia) | Refinery production 2017 | 1.1 million t N content (ammonia) | — | USGS MCS 2018 |
| Bentonite | Mine production 2025 | 80,000 t bentonite | #9 · 0.4% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Fuller's earth | Mine production 2025 | 120,000 t fuller's earth | #5 · 3% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Kaolin | Mine production 2025 | 50,000 t kaolin | #10 · 0.1% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Diatomite | Mine production 2025 | 100,000 t diatomite | #8 · 4% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Diatomite | Resources 2008 | 2 million t diatomite | — | USGS MCS 2009 |
| Gypsum | Mine production 2025 | 5.4 million t gypsum | #9 · 3% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Perlite | Mine production 2025 | 30,000 t perlite | #11 · 0.7% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Salt | Mine production 2025 | 7 million t salt | #9 · 3% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Sand and gravel (industrial) | Mine production 2025 | 2.7 million t industrial sand and gravel | #19 · 0.6% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Talc and pyrophyllite | Mine production 2017 | 650,000 t talc and pyrophyllite | — | USGS MCS 2018 |
| Wollastonite | Mine production 2025 | 100,000 t wollastonite | #3 · 12% | USGS MCS 2026 |
Policies and export measures
Policy tracker →2023-02-18 · ban
Li-MX 1 lithium mining reserve zone (Sonora)
In force on publication, 18 February 2023. It declares a lithium mining reserve of 234,855.198 ha in seven Sonora municipalities (Arivechi, Bacadéhuachi, Huásabas, Divisadero, Granados, Sahuaripa and Nácori Chico). Rights of existing concession holders are preserved.
Source: Diario Oficial de la Federación (Mexico)2022-08-24 · incentive
Creation of the state lithium company Litio para México (LitioMx)
The decree was published 23 August 2022 and took effect the next day. It creates the decentralised public body LitioMx, which carries out the State's exclusive role in lithium exploration, exploitation and value chains under the 2022 Mining Law reform.
Source: Diario Oficial de la Federación (Mexico)2022-04-21 · ban
Mining Law reform nationalising lithium
Published 20 April 2022, in force 21 April 2022. Lithium is declared of public utility and national patrimony; no concessions, licences, contracts or permits may be granted for it. Exploration, exploitation and value chains are reserved to the State through a decentralised public body.
Source: Diario Oficial de la Federación (Mexico)
Trade in critical minerals
Exports 2024$10 bn
- Copper$5.4 bnto China 73%, United States of America 9%, South Korea 6% · 28 more
- Zinc$1.6 bnto South Korea 27%, United States of America 16%, Spain 13% · 36 more
- Lead$1.3 bnto South Korea 53%, Australia 13%, United States of America 11% · 17 more
- Aluminium$856 mto United States of America 57%, China 10%, Brazil 10% · 33 more
- Molybdenum$739 mto South Korea 42%, United States of America 14%, Chile 10% · 14 more
- Fluorspar$243 mto United States of America 53%, Italy 21%, Tunisia 10% · 37 more
- Manganese*$67 mto United States of America 68%, China 18%, Spain 3% · 21 more
- Lithium*$43 mto United States of America 52%, Japan 15%, Spain 9% · 49 more
and 29 more commodities
Imports 2024$8.0 bn
- Aluminium$3.3 bnfrom United States of America 31%, United Arab Emirates 17%, South Africa 15% · 40 more
- Copper$3.1 bnfrom United States of America 93%, Chile 5%, Peru 1% · 16 more
- Rare earths$252 mfrom China 77%, United States of America 13%, South Korea 3% · 38 more
- Phosphate rock$182 mfrom Morocco 96%, Senegal 4%, United States of America 0% · 1 more
- Molybdenum$137 mfrom United Kingdom 55%, United States of America 28%, South Korea 9% · 10 more
- Silicon$125 mfrom China 71%, United States of America 7%, Russia 6% · 12 more
- Titanium (ilmenite)*$115 mfrom Australia 29%, Ukraine 26%, South Africa 16% · 10 more
- Zinc$102 mfrom Spain 49%, Peru 13%, Belgium 13% · 13 more
and 34 more commodities
Trade values in current US dollars (ores, concentrates, intermediates, chemicals and refined metal), not prices. * Includes HS codes that also cover other products. Source: CEPII BACI (HS22), Etalab Open Licence 2.0 — details.
Fiscal regime for mining
| Instrument | Applies to | Rate | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royalty | Gold, Silver, PlatinumDerecho extraordinario sobre minería, payable annually in addition to other mining duties | 1%income from the sale of gold, silver and platinum | Ley Federal de Derechos (última reforma DOF 07-11-2025); rates as reformed DOF 19-12-2024 · Art. 270in force 2025-01-01 |
| Corporate income tax (mining) | All mineralsRate for legal persons (personas morales); no mining-specific rate. Mining duties (derecho especial 8.5%, extraordinary 1% on gold, silver, platinum) are separate (regimes.csv) | 30%resultado fiscal (taxable result) of the fiscal year | Ley del Impuesto sobre la Renta (DOF 11-12-2013), last reform DOF 01-04-2024 · Art. 9in force 2014-01-01 |
| Windfall / resource-rent tax | All mineralsDerecho especial sobre minería, paid annually by mining concession and assignment holders (an EBITDA-style base) | 8.5%positive difference between accumulable income from sale of extractive production and deductions allowed under the Income Tax Law (excluding most investment deductions and interest) | Ley Federal de Derechos (última reforma DOF 07-11-2025); rates as reformed DOF 19-12-2024 · Art. 268in force 2025-01-01 |
Rates and terms as set in the cited law or regulation; agreements with individual projects can differ. Not legal or tax advice.
Mines and facilities (17)
- Buenavista del Cobre (Cananea)Mine · In production · SonoraCopper, Molybdenum
- El Arco Copper ProjectProject · Development · Baja CaliforniaCopper, Gold
- El Boleo MineMine · In production · Baja California SurCopper, Cobalt, Zinc
- El Pilar Copper ProjectProject · Development · SonoraCopper
- Kandelium García (Monterrey) plantProcessing plant · In production · Nuevo LeónStrontium (celestite)
- La Caridad MineMine · In production · SonoraCopper, Molybdenum
- La Caridad Smelter and RefinerySmelter · In production · SonoraCopper
- Las Cuevas Fluorspar MineMine · In production · San Luis PotosíFluorspar
- Lourdes Amorphous Graphite MinesMine · In production · SonoraGraphite (natural)
- Met-Mex Peñoles Metallurgical ComplexRefinery · In production · CoahuilaZinc, Lead, Silver, Gold, Bismuth
- Molango Manganese MineMine · In production · HidalgoManganese
- Octubre celestite mineMine · In production · CoahuilaStrontium (celestite)
- Peñasquito MineMine · In production · ZacatecasZinc, Lead, Silver, Gold
- San Juan de la Costa Phosphate MineMine · In production · Baja California SurPhosphate rock
- San Nicolás Copper-Zinc ProjectProject · Development · ZacatecasCopper, Zinc, Gold, Silver
- Sonora Lithium Project (Bacadéhuachi)Project · Development · SonoraLithium
- USAMSA Madero Antimony SmelterSmelter · In production · CoahuilaAntimony
Latest news
All news →No news items for Mexico yet.