Mexico and Chile target growth in critical mineral supply chains

Mining leaders in Mexico and Chile are highlighting strategic opportunities within the global supply chains for critical minerals and rare earth elements.

In Mexico, Raúl García Reimbert, president of the Association of Mining, Metallurgical and Geological Engineers of Mexico (AIMMGM), stated that the country is positioned to rejoin global supply chains by adopting models focused on technology, sustainability, and value addition. He noted that the Mexico-United States Critical Minerals Action Plan provides a framework for cooperation to secure essential supplies for industry, energy, and technology. García Reimbert emphasized that minerals have become a matter of economic security and industrial sovereignty due to the energy transition and digitalization.

In Chile, Undersecretary of Mining Álvaro González identified rare earth elements as a key driver for regional development in the central-south regions of Biobío, Ñuble, and Maule. These areas possess favorable geological conditions and existing infrastructure, such as ports and research centers, to support new productive activities. Current initiatives in the Biobío region include projects for extraction, concentrate production, and the potential development of processing and separation plants to increase value-added capabilities.