Camimex rejects the bill against open-pit mining

Alfredo Valadez Rodriguez

Correspondent

The newspaper La Jornada
Tuesday, July 23, 2024, p. 12

Zacatecas, Zac., The Mexican Mining Chamber (Camimex) expressed its rejection of the initiative being prepared by the federal Legislative Branch to reform the current mining law, whose opinion, which will be presented in the next legislature, is expected to prohibit open-pit mining in the country.

José Jaime Gutiérrez Núñez, president of the Camimex board, pointed out in the cover letter contained in the 2024 annual report of said organization – published this month – that the companies in the sector We are currently facing a new initiative that seeks to ban open-pit mining..

As we have expressed on different occasions, we consider that this proposal is a mistake that would have serious consequences, in terms of employment and tax revenues, compromising economic development and the construction of a more sustainable future for Mexico.he explained.

In his third year at the head of the mining chamber, Gutiérrez Núñez also criticized the action implemented by the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador to nationalize lithium, because it is a mineral considered strategic, whose exploration and exploitation has been reserved for the State.

This Monday, July 22, marked the World Day Against Open-Pit Mining.

Together we have faced momentous changes for the mining industry, such as the restriction of lithium for the exclusive use of the State in 2022 and the reform of the mining law in May 2023.highlighted José Jaime Gutiérrez.

However, the leader said, In the face of these challenges, we remained firm and united, which allowed us to convey our points of view in Congress and with the federal authorities, managing to convey (sic), some of the serious impacts that the first initiative contained..

Given this scenario, he proposed to the Camimex members, We must remain united, reiterating our commitment to work with the highest environmental and social standards, always prioritizing dialogue and collaboration with all the actors involved in the sector and the competent authorities..

He assured that in 2023 the mining industry as an economic activity registered a decrease of 2 percent, due to external and internal conditions that affected its performance, such as the lack of dynamism in the global economy, resulting from a context of economic and geopolitical uncertainty.

At the national level –the leader of Camimex continued with his criticism of government policies–, “we face regulatory reforms that restrict the exploration and development of new deposits.

The share of the mining industry in the national GDP (gross domestic product) decreased from 2.89 percent in 2022 to 2.75 percent in 2023, and in the industrial GDP from 9.09 percent in 2022 to 8.63 percent in 2023.accurate.

Likewise, the director of the extractive sector announced that the value of the national mining-metallurgical production also fell, totaling 261 thousand 610 million pesos, which represented a decrease of 17.6 percent compared to the previous year, reflecting both the reduction in the value of production and the lack of policies to promote the development of the sector..

He said that Investment totaled 4.96 billion dollars, mostly in previously planned projects, representing a decrease of 5.8 percent compared to the previous year..

According to José Jaime Gutiérrez Núñez, the reduction in mining activity had a negative impact on the federal government, exceeding 30 percent, in terms of tax contributions.

A significant decrease was that of tax contributions, which reached a total of 49 thousand 445 million pesos in 2023, representing a decrease of 32.2 percent, in annual terms. This situation was directly related to the low levels of production, the income of the sector and the lack of incentives for its development.he concluded.