After growing 3.4% month-on-month in April, Mexican mining and metallurgical production fell 0.2% during May 2026 compared to April, reported the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) .
On an annual basis, the setback was more pronounced. In the fifth month of the year, mining and metallurgical production fell by 3.3% , according to the Mining and Metallurgical Industry Statistics (EIMM), which provides information on the activity of this sector in order to generate timely indicators.
The annual result marked the third consecutive decline in the country’s mining and metallurgical production —which encompasses activities of extraction, processing, smelting and refining of metallic and non-metallic minerals—.
During the period, copper production rose 5.3% annually, while non-coking coal —used for electricity generation—grew 1.8%. Fluorite increased 1.6%. Meanwhile, zinc, silver, and gypsum advanced 1.5%, 1%, and 0.1%, respectively, year-on-year.
Conversely, the largest declines in mining and metallurgical production during the cycle were in gold with 16.1%, lead with a drop of 12.5%, sulfur with a decrease of 4.4% and iron pellets with a decline of 1.5% annually.
By state, Sonora and Guerrero stood out in gold production, San Luis Potosí in silver and fluorite, Durango in lead and zinc, Sonora in copper, Colima in iron, and Veracruz in sulfur production.
The Mexican mining and metallurgical industry is one of the topics being discussed in the negotiations of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) , especially regarding tariffs on steel and aluminum, as well as critical minerals , including lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper and rare earth elements, which are fundamental for clean energy technologies, electrification, digitalization and the energy transition.
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