MINING IN MEXICO — Gold output slowly rising

Mexico may not be a leader among gold-producing nations, but it has been consistent in its gold output during the past 10 years.

Gold Fields Mineral Services of London, in its Gold 1994 report, says Mexican mines turned out 10.9 tonnes of the yellow metal in 1993, up slightly from 10.4 tonnes the previous year and 8.5 tonnes in 1991.

Ten years ago, Mexico’s gold production totaled 7.6 tonnes.

Among Latin American gold producers, Mexico is in the middle of the pack. “Although there has been a significant exploration effort in the country over the last few years, almost entirely by North American companies, the deposits discovered so far have only been relatively small in size, supporting modest production rates,” writes Gold Fields.