Forestry
Mexican forests are rich in many different types of wood including Palms, Mahogany, Cedar, Oak, and Pine. As in many countries, fast-growing Pine is a popular wood with many species being grown locally.

Timber harvesting plants are located in Chihuahua, Durango, Jalisco, Michoacán, Oaxaca, Chiapas, and Guerrero. Mexico’s timber production costs are said to be as much as 40% above the world average. It is therefore more cost-effective for the furniture industry to import most of their hardwood.

Minerals

Mexico is a major producer of 12 minerals, three of which are sold in significant volume to the US. It is the second-largest producer of fluorspar in the world behind China and has a calculated reserve of 32,000 tons. More than 2/3rds of its production is exported to the United States.

The country has 3,100 tons of reserves of graphite and is the world’s eighth-largest producer with 1/3rd of its volume going to the US. The third most important mineral imported by the United States is strontium. Mexico is the world’s second-largest producer at 56,500 tons in 2016 (the latest data available), with the United States importing 55 percent.

Mining

Mexico is the world’s leading producer of silver at 5,372 metric tons (189.5 million ounces). It is responsible for 21% of global production, followed by Peru (15%), China (12%), and Australia and Russia (each at 6%). About 70% of the silver produced in Mexico is exported, the remainder is sold on the domestic market.

Zacatecas produces the most with nearly 50% of the total supply, followed by Chihuahua with nearly 20%,  Durango at 12%, and Sonora at 7%.

There are 5 major coal mines operating in Mexico. All are located in the state of Coahuila.

The Micare Mine is a surface and underground mine owned by Altos Hornos de Mexico SAB de CV. It produced an estimated 4.756 MTPA of coal in 2020.

The Mimosa Unit Project is also owned by Altos Hornos de Mexico SAB de CV. This surface and underground mine produced an estimated 2.172 MTPA of coal in 2020. The mine will operate until 2053.

The Progreso Mine is owned by Carbonifera De San Patricio and produced an estimated 1.101 MTPA of coal in 2020.

The Nueva Rosita Mine, owned by Grupo Mexico SAB de CV, is a surface mine and produced an estimated 0.036 MTPA of coal in 2020.

Santa Barbara Coal Mine is Owned by Mineria y Energia del Noreste. It is a surface mine and produced an estimated 0.035 MTPA of coal in 2020.

Gems  The most significant fire opal deposits in the world are found in Mexico. Rock strata containing opals run through the Mexican highlands. They are generally extracted in open-cast mines. Other collector favorites are also found here including amethyst, danburite, grossular, apatite, rhodochrosite, topaz, and many others.

At least sixty minerals were first found in Mexico. In addition to silver, many other metals including gold, copper, iron, molybdenum, lead, zinc, manganese, arsenic, and tellurium have been mined here. Around 1/3 of all silver that has been mined has come from Mexico.

Oil & Gas

Mexico is one of the largest oil producers in the world (1.8 million barrels per day in 2018), and the fourth-largest in the Americas after the United States, Canada, and Brazil. In 2018, the United States imported over 210 million barrels of Mexico’s heavy crude and exported over 1.2 million barrels of refined petroleum products (more than 70 percent of Mexico’s domestic gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel consumption) to Mexico. Oil is a crucial component of Mexico’s economy and earnings from the oil industry accounted for about 32 percent of total government revenues in 2018.

It has an estimated 17 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of proven natural gas reserves. Natural gas is increasingly replacing oil as a feedstock in power generation. However, higher levels of natural gas consumption will likely depend on more pipeline imports from the United States or liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports from other countries. Mexico has an estimated 545 Tcf of technically recoverable shale gas resources, the sixth-largest in the world.