Mexico's Economy Ministry Accelerates Exploration Permits, Aims to Restore 42 Million Tons of Mining Output

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 3, Mexico's Ministry of Economy stated that the federal government is accelerating the processing of permits related to mining projects. The mining approval procedures handled by the Ministry of Economy have currently reached approximately 98% completion, while water-related approvals stand at around 50%. José Fernando Aboitiz Saro, head of the Ministry's Coordination Unit for Extractive Activities, stated that the number of pending applications is declining, and the government plans to bring mining production back close to its previous historical high of approximately 42 million tons by advancing project permits and bringing new mines into operation.

The next phase will focus on adjusting mineral exploration procedures. The Ministry of Economy has formed a working group with relevant federal agencies to study options for enhancing the flexibility and transparency of the current exploration framework, with plans to submit proposals to the federal executive branch for evaluation in the coming weeks. The proposed adjustments cover resource exploration and reserve replenishment for minerals such as copper, zinc, gold, and silver. Under Mexico's current Mining Law, national mineral exploration is carried out by the Mexican Geological Survey pursuant to exploration orders issued by the Ministry of Economy. Private entities may submit mineral information on unallocated or unencumbered mining areas to the Ministry of Economy and participate in subsequent exploration cooperation under specified conditions.

In May of this year, Mexico's Ministry of Economy issued measures to streamline administrative procedures for extractive activities, adjusting the names, materials, and processing procedures for mining rights, mining allocations, and related administrative applications, while explicitly prohibiting requirements for applicants to resubmit documents already held by government agencies. The measure requires the Ministry of Economy to complete the corresponding regulatory adjustments within one year.

Environmental approvals related to mining projects are also being adjusted in parallel. In August, Mexico's Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources reduced environmental impact and forestry authorization procedures from 10 items to 7, with the materials required for each procedure cut from 12 items to 4. Meanwhile, the federal government continues to maintain mining restrictions in natural protected areas, with regulations clarifying that environmental permits for mineral exploration, extraction, and beneficiation activities within federal natural protected areas must be processed in accordance with existing conservation requirements.