Foreign mining investments in Mexico totaled US$2.323 billion in the first quarter of 2026, according to data from the Ministry of Economy.
This was the highest amount attracted by Mexico since the first quarter of 2022 and includes only Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in metallic minerals.
Mexico ranks among the world’s top 10 producers of 16 minerals and supplies key resources to the United States.
For example, the United States is the primary destination for Mexican mineral exports, receiving 52% of the total.
The Mexican Mining Chamber (Camimex) highlights that Mexico is further integrating into the U.S. value chain by exporting 52 mineral products, including 12 rare earth elements crucial for advanced technologies.
Foreign Mining Investments in Mexico
Critical minerals are essential for innovative technology and global competitiveness. Additionally, they are key in areas such as artificial intelligence and defense.
Furthermore, Mexico attracted $510 million in FDI in mining-related services from January to March 2026.
According to Camimex, the United States depends on imports of certain essential minerals. Therefore, Mexico, as a close and reliable ally, is a key supplier for U.S. needs.
USMCA
The existing chapters of the USMCA establish committees responsible for overseeing implementation. They also recommend amendments, promote cooperation, and facilitate the exchange of information.
From Camimex’s perspective, extending these functions to a committee specifically dedicated to mining would greatly benefit the sector by ensuring ongoing dialogue, transparency, and adaptability in the regulatory environment.
Camimex believes that the Committee could be entrusted with the crucial responsibility of formulating essential tasks for the Commission’s consideration on these important matters.
This would ensure the adoption of specific provisions and high-impact recommendations. To strengthen mining in North America, Camimex proposes implementing sector-specific incentives, creating strategic reserves to address supply crises, and stabilizing raw material markets. It also seeks to promote collaborative research on sustainability and foster transnational investments through regional public-private projects.
Lithium
Mexico amended its mining law in April 2022 to nationalize lithium and issued a decree in August 2022 to create the state-owned entity LitioMx, dedicated to lithium exploration and extraction.
Then-President Andrés Manuel López Obrador signed a decree in February 2023 creating a 234,000-hectare (approximately 578,000-acre) lithium reserve zone in the northern state of Sonora.