Micare Coal Mine

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Micare Coal Mine (Mina de carbón Micare) is an operating coal mine in Nava, Coahuila, Mexico.

Location

Table 1: Project-level location details

Mine Name Location Coordinates (WGS 84)
Micare Coal Mine Nava, Coahuila, Mexico 28.498439, -100.684021 (exact)

The map below shows the exact location of the coal mine:

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Project Details

Table 2: Project status

Status Status Detail Opening Year Closing Year
Operating 2012

Table 3: Operation details

Note: The asterisk (*) signifies that the value is a GEM estimated figure.
Capacity (Mtpa) Production (Mtpa) Year of Production Mine Type Mining Method Mine Size (km2) Mine Depth (m) Workforce Size
6.12[1] 2021[1] Underground & Surface Mixed 60* 830*

Table 4: Coal resources and destination

Total Reserves (Mt) Year of Total Reserves Recorded Total Resources (Mt) Coalfield Coal Type Coal Grade Primary Consumer/ Destination
Bituminous Thermal José López Portillo power station

Table 5: Ownership and parent company

Owner Parent Company Headquarters
Altos Hornos de México [AHMSA] - Grupo Acerero del Norte S.A. de C.V Altos Hornos de México [AHMSA] - Grupo Acerero del Norte S.A. de C.V. Mexico

Note: The above section was automatically generated and is based on data from the GEM April 2024 Global Coal Mine Tracker dataset.

Background

Micare Coal Mine is a coal mine complex in the state of Coahuila, Mexico. The Micare mine is Mexico's largest and most productive coal mining operation[2][3], with two open pit mines and one underground mine.[4] The mine complex supplies the two largest coal-fired power plants in northern Mexico, the José López Portillo and Carbón II plants in Nava, Coahuila.[5][6][7]

In January 2023, operator Minera del Norte was declared bankrupt.[8] At the time, Pais Minero reported that the company would be forced to liquidate its staff and cease operations.[9] However, later in the year, the operational status of the power station remained unclear. In early 2024, reporting on the potential acquisition of Altos Hornos de México (AHMSA) stated that future plans for the Micare mine remained uncertain.[8]

  • Operator: Minera Del Norte (Minosa)[5]
  • Owner: Altos Hornos de México (AHMSA) Grupo Acerero del Norte S.A. de C.V.[5]
  • Location: the state of Coahuila, Mexico
  • Coordinates: 28.4984, -100.6840 (exact)
  • Mine status: Operating
  • Start year: 1979[10]
  • Capacity: 7 million tonnes per annum[5][11]
  • Production: 6.12 million tonnes (2021)[2]
  • Total reserves (Mt):
  • Coal type: Bituminous
  • Mine type: Underground & Surface[4][3]
  • Mine size (Km2):
  • Workforce size:
  • Primary consumer: José López Portillo power station, Carbón II power station[5][6][7]
  • Source of financing:

Production

Following a steep downturn in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, production at the Micare mines has rebounded. As of early 2023, the Micare mine was reportedly continuing to produce near its full capacity of 7 million tonnes annually, despite the fact that mine operator Minosa had been forced to seek bankruptcy protection following CFE's unilateral cancellation of coal purchase contracts.[11] However, subsequent reporting in 2023 and early 2024 indicated that the mine's operation may have been significantly reduced, if not halted entirely, as the liquidation and future of the mine's owner was still being determined.[8]

Table 1: Annual Production 2016-2021 - Micare Mine

Mtpa = million tonnes per annum
Year Thermal Coal Production (Mtpa)
2021 6.1[2]
2020 1.1[4]
2019 4.6[4]
2018 6.2[4]
2017 6.5[12]
2016 5.9[12]

Articles and Resources

Additional data

To access additional data, including an interactive map of world coal mines, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Mine Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 https://web.archive.org/web/20240302081056/https://www.globaldata.com/data-insights/mining/mexico--five-largest-coal-mines-in-2090765/. Archived from the original on 02 March 2024. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archive-date= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Mexico: Five Largest Coal Mines in 2021, Global Data, accessed December 2022
  3. 3.0 3.1 "Five largest coal mines in Mexico in 2020," Mining Technology, September 16, 2021
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "Reporte Anual (p 56)" (PDF). AHMSA (Altos Hornos de México). December 31, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 "MICARE". AHMSA. Retrieved 2022-02-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. 6.0 6.1 Orellana, A.; Stephenson, H. G. (1996-12-31). "Operational improvements in MICARE`s underground mines". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. 7.0 7.1 "MANIFESTACIÓN DE IMPACTO AMBIENTAL: MINERA CARBONÍFERA RIO ESCONDIDO, S.A. DE C.V. - EXPLOTACION DE MINA VI" (PDF). SEMARNAT. May 2006.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Pretenden Argentem Creek adquirir “paquete completo de AHMSA”, Report Acero, February 12, 2024.
  9. Declaran a Minera del Norte en concurso mercantil tras contratos cancelados por CFE, Pais Minero, January 5, 2023.
  10. "Ruta para la sustitución progresiva y justa del carbón en la generación eléctrica en México" (PDF). Iniciativa Climática de México (ICM). May 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. 11.0 11.1 "Minera mexicana Minosa se acoge a protección contra la quiebra". BNamericas. January 4, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. 12.0 12.1 "Annual Report 2018 (p 72)", AMHSA website, Accessed March 2021