Nuevo Leon Has the Largest Mining Workforce in the Country

Nuevo Leon, one of the most industrialized states in the country, is ranked as the largest mining and metallurgical sector employer in the country. However, it does not rank as a leading mining state, the Mexican Mining Chamber (CAMIMEX) reported. 

According to CAMIMEX’s 2021 Sustainability Report, Nuevo Leon is the largest mining employer in the country, with over 57,478 employees, surpassing Coahuila’s 36,266 workers, the State of Mexico’s 26,807 personnel and Guanajuato’s 25,546 laborers. According to the report, the Nuevo Leon stands out as the largest employer of women in the sector, too: the local sector hires 9,407 women, only followed by the State of Mexico with 5,204 women employed.

CAMIMEX highlighted the increasing number of women in both operative and leading positions in the country, which in 2020 represented over 15 percent of the sector’s workforce. In addition, the average income in the metal-mining sector is 73 percent higher than the national average, while in nonmetal-mining this is 26 percent more. 

In terms of economic income, Nuevo Leon’s performance is not as effective as other mining-focused states, valued at US$132.3 million. The mining sector contributes only 0.85 percent of its GDP. Sonora is the leading state in this regard, with an income of over US$2.5 billion, followed by Coahuila and Zacatecas, both with US$1.2 billion. 

According to the Mexican Geological Survey (SGM), Nuevo Leon's exploitation activities are focused on non-metallic products like plaster, baryte, limestone, phosphorite and sodium salts, among others. Important mineral processing companies are based in the state, like IMMSA, HYLSA and Zinc Nacional. Although Nuevo Leon is not a major mineral producer, it has areas that show significant superficial mineralization such as Sierra de Picachos, Vallecillo, Sierra los Muertos and El Fraile, among other zones. 

According to CAMIMEX’s report, the mining sector employs over 367,935 people in the country, of which 57,826 are women. The sector’s average education level is 11.7 years, the equivalent of the third year of middle school, which is higher than the national average of 9.7 years. In 2020, companies affiliated with CAMIMEX used 0.4 percent of their investment for personnel training Twenty-eight percent of this training was internal. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic meant on-site training was suspended. Nevertheless, the sector offered training using digital platforms, obtaining over 134 certificates from the National Council of Labor Certification of Job Skills (CONOCER). The chamber considers this data to be important since it shows the positive impact the sector has on communities’ education.