Mexico Starts Granting Mining Permits, Unlocks US$11B Pipeline

A shift in federal administrative policy regarding environmental and water permitting has reactivated a mining investment pipeline valued at over US$11 billion. The clearing of regulatory backlogs is poised to trigger a wave of capital deployment across major mining hubs, with Zacatecas, Sonora, Chihuahua, and Durango serving as the primary beneficiaries.

Fernando Aboitiz, Head of the Extractive Activities Coordination Unit, Ministry of Economy (SE), confirmed that the Claudia Sheinbaum administration has tackled the permitting bottleneck that defined previous years. Aboitiz told El Financiero that the government inherited 176 stalled projects at the start of the term. Through an accelerated review process, officials have resolved 110 of these cases, leaving only 66 pending. The unit expects to normalize administrative operations by mid-2026.

Zacatecas stands to gain the most from this regulatory thaw, with state officials identifying a potential investment portfolio exceeding US$6.5 billion. State Minister of Economy Jorge Miranda noted that the local backlog was slashed from 25 pending permits to just five within a single year. This administrative speed is critical for developments like the San Nicolás project, a joint venture (JV) between Agnico Eagle and Teck Resources, which is currently advancing its feasibility engineering, and according to the CAMIMEX 2024 Annual Report, represents an investment of over US$1.1 billion. The state will also benefit from Orla Mining’s Camino Rojo, which secured the environmental clearance needed to extend its mine life by over 20 years.

Sonora is seeing immediate operational impacts. State mining authorities report that the regulatory delay was cleared, enabling projects like Silver Tiger’s El Tigre to schedule construction for 2026, backed by a US$180 million investment. 

The state currently monitors 83 active projects, including Sonoro Gold’s Cerro Caliche and Grupo México's El Pilar. The latter was highlighted in subsidiary Southern Copper’s 2Q25 report as a component of its US$10.2 billion national project pipeline. Heliostar Metals said that after receiving the required permits, it would restart mining at the Veta Madre Pit at La Colorada, targeting its 43,000oz of gold reserves.

Chihuahua’s government has mapped out eight advanced projects with a combined value of US$3.6 billion through 2030, anchored by large-scale assets such as Discovery Silver’s Cordero and Fresnillo’s Orisyvo. Meanwhile, Durango has seen the release of over a dozen environmental permits, a move expected to accelerate development for companies like Avino Silver and Chesapeake Gold over the next two years.

José Ricardo López, Durango’s Deputy Minister of Business Development, emphasized that maintaining this regulatory momentum is essential. He argued that continued legal certainty regarding permits will be the deciding factor in converting these projections into historic levels of realized investment for the sector.

Government Aims for Permit Greenlighting 

Minister of Economy Marcelo Ebrard had previously confirmed the federal government's intention to accelerate mining permit approvals starting in 2026. Speaking at the XXXVI International Mining Convention 2025, Ebrard stated that the administration is committed to restarting large-scale exploration, streamlining pending procedures, and facilitating investment to secure supply chains amid a tense geopolitical climate. "Securing supply chains is a national priority," he noted, highlighting that three new permits for land use and environmental impact had already been approved as part of this initiative, without mentioning which projects received the approvals.

He acknowledged the Mexican Mining Chamber (CAMIMEX) as one of the government’s closest partners in addressing water, regulation, and permitting issues, noting that authorities were finally taking the first steps to resolve these bottlenecks. Ebrard expressed optimism that 2026 will yield good results, driven by a coincident agenda on sustainability and labor responsibility.