Mexico

During the last decade, the main producing states in the mining sector in Mexico were: Sonora (23%), Zacatecas (23%), Chihuahua (14%), Coahuila (11%), San Luis Potosi (6%) and Durango (6%). Mexico is the world’s largest producer of silver, the third largest producer of bismuth, the fifth largest producer of lead, the ninth largest producer of gold and the eleventh largest producer of copper.

In terms of employment generation, the mining sector generated 309,725 direct jobs, as of December 2011. National companies produce 60% of Mexican mining and the remaining 40% is produced by foreign companies.