Imports of cyanide from Mexico totaled 47.6 million dollars in the first quarter of 2020, for a total of 26,989 tons, ranking as the first world importer, according to data from the Ministry of Economy.
These imports also include complex oxycyanides and cyanides.
With a general downward trend in recent years, cyanide imports from Mexico reached $ 197 million in 2019, with 111,297 tons.
Of all its imports, the United States supplies 54.1%, followed by China (37.1%). Other countries of origin are Germany and the Czech Republic.
Globally, external sales of this mineral by Peru, Canada, Turkey, Russia and India also stand out.
In the mining sector, in recent years, global attention and the introduction of regulations that restrict or prohibit the use of cyanide and other hazardous substances in mineral processing activities have increased.
Furthermore, the use of open pit mining techniques has come under scrutiny in certain mining jurisdictions, and some governments are reviewing the use of such methods.
If legislation were adopted to restrict or prohibit the use of cyanide or open pit mining techniques in certain countries, there would be a significant adverse impact on the results of operations and the financial position of mining companies, as there are few substitutes for the cyanide that are so effective in extracting gold from the ore.