Historic drop in tax contributions from the mining sector
The mining industry in Mexico experienced a significant decrease in its tax contributions during 2024, reaching its lowest level since 2020. According to data from the Mining Chamber of Mexico (Camimex), this decline is attributed to regulatory uncertainty and the structural challenges facing the sector. Total payments for duties and taxes amounted to 45,354 million pesos, which represents a decrease of 8.27% compared to the previous year.
Breakdown of contributions and critical areas
The Income Tax (ISR) contributed 36,288 million pesos, 4.2% less than in 2023. For its part, superficial rights—related to the use of land—fell by 1.26%, with 2,840 million weights. The most drastic reduction was observed in the new rights (concessions for exploration and exploitation), which registered 6,227 million pesos, 28.3% less than the previous year. Camimex highlighted that these figures only slightly exceed the 30,374 million pesos reported in 2020, the worst year in the last decade.
In its 2025 annual report, the chamber stressed: “The fiscal contributions of the mining sector depend on its capacity for growth. If its performance is limited, its impact on public finances will continue to decrease.” This phenomenon not only affects state income, but also Mexico’s competitiveness in the global mineral market.
Factors behind the decline: regulation and investment
The sector faced an adverse environment during the last six-year term, marked by regulatory changes such as the Mining Law of 2023, which granted the Mexican Geological Service (SGM) the monopoly on exploration. This measure, together with the delay in the issuance of concessions, caused a drop of 11.5% in investment for exploration in 2024. The industry warned that the “increased special rights” and the lack of regulatory clarity continue to discourage activity.
In addition, the report indicates that, since 2020, payments for new rights barely exceed the 3,593 million pesos registered that year, which reflects a stagnation in the opening of projects. Camimex urged updating the legal frameworks to “recover the confidence of investors” and avoid further losses of jobs and foreign exchange.
Perspectives and call to action
In this scenario, experts agree that a comprehensive strategy is required that balances fiscal demands with incentives to reactivate exploration. Mining contributes 2.3% of the national GDP and generates more than 379,000 direct jobs, according to official figures. However, without adjustments in public policy, its economic contribution could continue to erode.
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Source: Camimex, annual report 2025.




