The National Mining Association (NMA) identified Mexico as a key source of recyclable raw materials from hazardous waste for the production of critical metals in the United States.
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the NMA has more than 250 member companies and organizations involved in all aspects of mining, from producers and equipment manufacturers to service providers.
Recyclable raw materials
The NMA made the above comment in a letter addressed to the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) in late 2025.
From its perspective, Mexico serves as an important raw material partner for NMA members.
Currently, the absence of tariffs on raw materials such as tin concentrates promotes trade and supply chain stability between Mexico and the United States.
However, the NMA warned that any future tariffs imposed by the United States or Mexico would threaten to disrupt these imports of critical raw materials, which could hinder U.S. operations and the broader supply chain for critical U.S. metals. Therefore, maintaining an open trade environment is essential to ensuring the continued flow of these vital materials.
Integration in the Mining Industry
The NMA encouraged the USTR to build a vertically integrated industry in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. It added that this would counter China’s unfair trade practices, ensure supply reliability, and support U.S. exports.
Furthermore, the NMA stated that while port capacity challenges are gradually improving, they continue to pose significant obstacles to U.S. exports, including coal exports.
For this association, addressing these port capacity issues remains a priority to facilitate smoother and more reliable export operations.
By resolving these bottlenecks, the NMA emphasized that the U.S. industry will be better able to capitalize on emerging opportunities in the Asian market and ensure that U.S. shipments are processed and dispatched in a timely manner, which will contribute to the growth and competitiveness of U.S. exports overall.
Investments
The NMA emphasized that sector-specific investment protection provisions under the USMCA are critical for the U.S. mining sector. In its view, any omission of investor protections will severely harm U.S. FDI, which is necessary to maintain secure and reliable supply chains that are indispensable to U.S. manufacturing, technology, healthcare, energy, and defense.