Education, Local Support Elevate Mexican CRM Understanding: CDN

Q: How does CDN engage with the Mexican mining sector?
A: CDN's commitment to the Mexican market over the last two years has focused on supporting and educating the market. Countries like Canada, which is one of the principal investors in mining, have access to advance practices, technologies, and tools. The goal is to transfer all this knowledge to the Mexican market to enhance its potential and elevate it to a world-class standard.

This encompasses not only quality control for mining but also exploration, which are the two sectors we focus on with our products. CDN has been deeply involved and committed to the Mexican market by providing support with all the knowledge related to best practices to ensure they can achieve optimum performance in both the laboratory and exploration.

I identified that in Mexico, many industry professionals did not know they could certify their own mineral deposit to create a certified reference material (CRM). They would instead rely on external inventory. We are strongly advocating for this best practice because using your own certified mineral provides a more precise quality control result than using products with similar standards with grade values only close to those you work with.

Mexico serves as our base for all of Latin America, aiming to expand our model throughout the region, starting with Chile and Peru. We have established a strong distribution network with strategic points in Mexico, such as Hermosillo, Chihuahua, and Durango, and we are now expanding into Latin America to offer local support to the user.

Users, mainly geologists and engineers, need technical help, not logistical hurdles. By supporting them locally and in their own language, we removed communication barriers that once kept many from asking questions or placing orders. While competitors rely on automated systems with little personal interaction, customers turn to us because they can’t get a response elsewhere. We offer what automation cannot: clear, direct communication and a trusted human presence, something the industry has lost in the rush toward automation.

Q: CDN's business model in Mexico relies on local distributors, rather than having a physical office or laboratory. What is the strategic rationale behind this model, and how does it provide a competitive advantage in a market like Mexico?

A: We support clients directly and through a network of commercial partners. This dual model allows us to reach remote locations and assist smaller projects that may not have the infrastructure or internal resources to manage imports, unlike large mining operations already in production. Our partners extend our reach to every type of customer, ensuring that even the smallest projects receive the same level of attention and service as the largest ones. It’s a strategic approach that reinforces our commitment to accessibility, responsiveness, and genuine human support.

Q: What are the key factors that define a successful CDN-partner relationship?

A: In our distribution network, each partner brings distinct strengths, and diversity is one of our greatest advantages. Many of our partners have decades of experience in the mining sector; they have been working in mine sites, have been end users themselves, and understand the technical requirements firsthand. Whether they’ve worked with our products or competing solutions, they know how these tools are applied in the field and how to offer them correctly. This deep, practical knowledge elevates the quality of support we deliver and strengthens the entire network.

The selection process is not just based on knowledge, however. Our partners must already have a relationship of trust with the user. Part of selecting a distributor is ensuring they share CDN's core values, which are transparency and trust, and that they can offer a comprehensive service. This means assisting not only during the sale but also through robust after-sales support.

Our strategy for maintaining consistent quality relies heavily on working hand-in-hand with our partners. This is a two-way street where they seek advice on client needs, and I request feedback in return. Because our product is a natural mineral and not a synthetic material that we can customize, I must obtain detailed client information from the partner. Together, through continuous training, we determine the best way to assist the client.

Q: Given that CDN's services are often behind the scenes, how does your company translate its role in quality control and data integrity into tangible, measurable value for your mining clients?

A: Although we have traditionally worked with reference materials focused on primary elements such as gold, silver, and copper, along with zinc and lead, which are key components in Mexican mining, we now offer standards with assays for additional elements. This allows clients to achieve more comprehensive quality control and obtain data that more accurately represents their deposits, generating tangible value in their processes.

Our main innovation is a product line called Smart CRM. This line is assayed for many more elements, going beyond just the base components. This is essential for any future auditing needs. For instance, if a mine faces an audit and must declare the presence of antimony or mercury, elements that might be termed contaminants or elements needing specific reporting, they must be able to determine how much of them they have. This information, when declared in their quality control reports, helps them mitigate potential penalties.

The Smart CRM line is intelligent because it contains more elements, and the goal is to expand the focus beyond only the base elements that are quoted or traded. Not all mines or commercial laboratories adhere to the same practices. Therefore, the product needed to be expanded to be useful to a wider range of users, ensuring that the elements contained serve the needs of each operation. Ultimately, these are reference materials more closely aligned with the specific type of mineralization found in each area.

Q: What elements do you consider will distinguish CDN's product strategy from competitors in the following years in Mexico?

A: Our product strategy stands out by offering two key services. First, we provide a global standard inventory of certified reference materials. Secondly, our most innovative offering, we create fully customized CRMs using the client’s own mineral deposit. 

This service is highly flexible: clients choose the amount of material, the number of standards, the laboratories involved, the analyses, and the packaging. We also guide them on critical factors to avoid oxidation issues.

Few companies offer this level of personalization. CDN is the only Canadian CRM producer with ISO-17034 accreditation, working in alignment with ISO-17025 commercial labs like ALS, SGS, and Bureau Veritas. Together, this provides strong assurance and audit-ready quality for mines and laboratories.

CDN Resource Laboratories is a Canada-based provider of Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) for the mining and exploration industry. The company offers assay reference materials, as well as preparing custom standards on request.