Mining Is Back in Fashion: Marcelo Ebrard

As the mining sector experiences a resurgence amid shifting global geopolitical tensions, Mexico needs to strengthen its mining capabilities and reduce dependence on imports, says Marcelo Ebrard, Minister of Economy. 

“Mining is back in fashion for this entire generation,” says Ebrard. He adds that the current administration is taking a different approach from the previous one, aiming to actively promote the sector. This renewed focus aims to position mining as a key driver of Mexico’s economic future and energy transition, especially at a time of rising geopolitical tensions.

At the signing ceremony of the Collaboration Agreement for the Mexico 2025 Mining Educational Committee, Ebrard said that until roughly 2018 or 2019, the world faced no significant geopolitical rivalry, there was a single global superpower and widespread agreement on free trade and the post-World War II institutional order. He cautioned that in today’s heightened geopolitical tensions, secure access to critical minerals can no longer be assumed.

Ebrard highlighted that while Mexico exports copper ore, it still imports refined copper, a vital input without which the country’s automotive industry would come to a halt within a day. “It is clear that we must upgrade our capabilities,” he said. “What Mexico needs is a policy based on determination.”

Ebrard also underscored the importance of minerals like silicon for the semiconductor industry. Citing a US Congressional report, he explained how China has prioritized critical minerals and materials as a core element of its policy for decades. China not only holds significant reserves of rare earths and critical minerals but has also strategically invested globally, especially through its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), to control extraction and refining capacities abroad. China now refines 68% of the world’s nickel, 40% of its copper, 59% of its lithium, and 73% of its cobalt, says Ebrard. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, Chinese firms control 80% of cobalt production, while in Indonesia, they oversee 82% of nickel output for batteries, he adds.

During the event, Sonora Governor Alfonso Durazo said that the newly established Education Committee would help meet the challenges posed by the energy transition by aligning efforts across federal and state governments, industry, and higher education institutions. Zacatecas Governor David Monreal added that the government had presented a comprehensive agenda focusing on investment, scientific advancement, intergovernmental collaboration, and active participation from all stakeholders.