Objective and Key Players
The Mexican Secretary of Economy (SE) is now concentrating on strengthening the mining sector to ensure that extracted metals and minerals are transformed into valuable, added-value products within the country. Secretary Marcelo Ebrard emphasized this during the signing of the Collaboration Convention for the Mining Education Committee Mexico 2025.
The event, held in Mexico City, included governors Alfonso Durazo of Sonora and David Monreal of Zacatecas, both mining-oriented states, along with academic representatives and industry leaders. They highlighted the significance of a coordinated strategy between the federal government, universities, and the private sector.
Strengthening Academia-Industry Link
The collaboration aims to bolster the training of professionals in geology, mining, and metallurgy, with a focus on industry-academia partnerships. Rubén del Pozo, president of the Association of Mining, Metallurgical and Geological Engineers of Mexico (AIMMGM), stated in an interview with El Economista:
“What’s lacking is to capitalize on opportunities. Students have academic knowledge in the classroom, but we need to open doors to the industry so they can apply and strengthen their knowledge in real-world settings—this ‘dual education’ approach.”
Del Pozo also mentioned that during the 36th International Mining Convention in Acapulco in November, they will present progress from workshops with the economic development secretaries of various mining states.
Involvement and Goals
The educational agreement includes 26 mining-active states, universities offering mining-related education, affiliated companies from the Mexican Mining Chamber (Camimex), associations, specialized colleges, and federal authorities. The main goal is to generate Mexican patents and bolster the mining industry.
Litium in Sonora: Current Status and Future Prospects
During the event, discussions included lithium deposits in Sonora. Ebrard mentioned working with the state government and other federal authorities on mining matters, as well as collaborating with LitioMex. However, he did not provide specific details about the progress of the Sonora Sustainable Energies Plan.
Del Pozo from AIMMGM also confirmed that they lack detailed information about the Plan Sonora’s progress regarding lithium deposit exploitation, as these deposits are still in the exploration phase.
José Aboitiz, head of the Coordination Unit for Extractive Activities at SE, reminded that the Secretary of Energy is responsible for managing Mexican lithium. He also mentioned LitioMex’s role in various ways to exploit lithium, alongside Conacyt’s work on developing technology for clay processing.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the main focus of Mexico’s industrialization strategy? The new emphasis is on strengthening mining states to ensure extracted metals and minerals are transformed into valuable, added-value products within Mexico.
- Who are the key players in this strategy? The Secretary of Economy (SE), governors of mining states like Sonora and Zacatecas, universities, private sector representatives, and federal authorities are all involved.
- What is the goal of the collaboration convention? The aim is to bolster training in geology, mining, and metallurgy while fostering industry-academia partnerships.
- What is the current status of lithium extraction in Sonora? Lithium deposits in Sonora are still in the exploration phase, with limited information available on their exploitation progress.
- Who is responsible for managing Mexican lithium? The Secretary of Energy is in charge of overseeing Mexican lithium management, with LitioMex playing a role in its exploitation.
