Mexico’s mining output increased by 2.2pc in June compared with the same month last year amid higher zinc and lead production.
Zinc output jumped by 34.5pc to 38,060mt in June this year, from 28,298mt produced during the same month last year, according to the National Statistics Agency (Inegi) data released on Monday. Lead production climbed by 26.8pc to 14,329mt in June, from 11,297mt produced in the same prior-year period.
On the other hand, copper output declined by 6.4pc to 40,729mt in June from 43,518mt produced in June 2019 and iron ore production dropped by 16.9pc to 492,953mt from 593,364mt during the same period under comparison, Inegi noted.
Mexico’s mining industry lost $4.8bn in revenue after mining companies suspended activities for about two months to protect their employees from the COVID-19 pandemic, Fernando Quiroga Alanis, president at the Mexican Mining Chamber (Camimex), had said last week. He added that the mining industry will reduce its investment in exploration by 25pc to $399mn this year, from $536mn in 2019, due to the impact of the pandemic.