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Mimosa Coal Mine (Mina Mimosa) is a mothballed coal mine in Sabinas, Coahuila, Mexico.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Mine Name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Mimosa Coal Mine | Sabinas, Sabinas, Coahuila, Mexico | 27.62006173, -101.2458814 (approximate) |
The map below shows the approximate location of the coal mine:
Project Details
Table 2: Project status
| Status | Status Detail | Opening Year | Closing Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mothballed[1] | – | 1944[2] | – |
Table 3: Operation details
| Capacity (Mtpa) | Production (Mtpa) | Year of Production | Mine Type | Mining Method | Mine Size (km2) | Mine Depth (m) | Workforce Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| – | 2.6[3] | 2024[3] | Underground & Surface[2] | Mixed[2] | – | 60.0* | – |
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 | Met | Steel Plant |
Table 5: Ownership and parent company
| Owner | Parent Company | Headquarters |
|---|---|---|
| Altos Hornos de México (AHMSA) - Grupo Acerero del Norte S.A. de C.V | Grupo Acerero del Norte SA de CV; small shareholder(s); Grupo Acerero del Norte SA de CV | Mexico |
Table 6: Historical production (unit: million tonnes per annum)
| ROM or Saleable | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROM[4] | 3.08[5] | 3.15[5] | – | 2.17[6] | 5.14[4] | – | 2.6[7] | 2.6[3] | – |
Note: The above sections were automatically generated and are based on data from the Global Coal Mine Tracker May 2026 release.
Ownership Tree
This ownership tree is part of the Global Energy Ownership Tracker, a project of Global Energy Monitor.
Background
Mimosa coal mines are a group of underground and surface mines in Sabinas, Coahuila, Mexico.[8] The Mimosa mine complex is one of two large mining operations owned by Mexican steel producer Altos Hornos de México (AHMSA) and operated by AHMSA subsidiary Minera Del Norte (Minosa).[8] Mimosa is Mexico's second leading coal producer, surpassed only by AHMSA's Micare mine.[9][10] The Mimosa complex includes 4 underground mines and 1 open cast mine[11], with the collective capacity to produce approximately 4 million tonnes of metallurgical and thermal coal per year.[8] Met coal from the Mimosa mines is transported via a 130-kilometer rail line to the Altos Hornos de México (AHMSA) steel plant, where it is used for steel production.[11] Thermal coal from the mines has historically been sold to CFE (Mexico's federal electricity commission) for energy production.[12]
In 2022, AHMSA shut down Mimosa's Mine VII, whose met coal reserves had been depleted after 15 years of operations.[13] At the same time, the company announced the startup of Mine VIII, whose 100 million tons of high-quality metallurgical coal reserves were expected to play a key role in AHMSA's steel production over the next 30 years.[13]
Production
Following a steep downturn in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, production at the Mimosa mines has rebounded. Global Data estimated that the mines produced 2.6 million tonnes of coal in 2021.[9] As of early 2023, the mines were reportedly continuing to produce at close to their annual capacity of 4 million tpa (tonnes per annum), despite the fact that mine operator Minosa had been forced to seek bankruptcy protection following CFE's unilateral cancellation of coal purchase contracts.[14]
According to GlobalData, the Mimosa mines produced an estimated 2.6 million tonnes of coal in 2023.[15]
Table 1: Annual Production 2016-2020 - Mimosa Mines
| Year | Met Coal Production (Mtpa) | Thermal Coal Production (Mtpa) | Total Production (Mtpa) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 0.41[11] | 0.52[11] | 0.93[11] |
| 2019 | 1.22[11] | 1.46[11] | 2.68[11] |
| 2018 | 1.39[11] | 1.76[11] | 3.15[11] |
| 2017 | 1.37[12] | 1.71[12] | 3.08[12] |
| 2016 | 1.39[12] | 1.09[12] | 2.48[12] |
Accidents
In 2011 one of the mines (Mina Esmeralda) collapsed, killing 4 miners; 132 miners were working in the mine when the accident occurred.[16]
Ownership Cirisis and Mothballing
AHMSA's financial difficulties, which began with the CFE contract cancellations in 2020, deepened significantly in subsequent years. On November 30, 2023, AHMSA ceased steel production entirely and was unable to resume operations.[17] On November 6, 2024, the Second District Court for Commercial Bankruptcy Cases formally declared AHMSA bankrupt and ordered the sale of its assets to satisfy creditors, after the company failed to reach an agreement with creditors during two extended 90-day negotiation periods.[18] A court-appointed trustee assumed control of AHMSA's assets, including the Mimosa mines. Following AHMSA's bankruptcy declaration in November 2024, the Mimosa and Micare mining complexes were placed under the management of the trustee as part of the broader liquidation process, with approximately 4,000 MINOSA employees left without pay pending resolution of the bankruptcy.[19]
As of late 2025, the total estimated value of AHMSA's asset portfolio, including the Mimosa and Micare mining complexes, stood at US$1.326 billion. Eight companies - among them ArcelorMittal, Villacero, Cargill Financial Services, and Nippon Steel - formally expressed interest in acquiring AHMSA's industrial and mining assets, with the auction expected in early 2026.[20]
Associated Coal Mine Methane Mitigation Projects
Some coal mines have installed infrastructure which can use and/or destroy some methane emissions associated with mining. In 2024, the Global Methane Initiative reported that this mine had a mitigation project associated with it. This methodology page describes how GEM classified these projects and linked them with coal mines in the Global Coal Mine Tracker.
Table MM1: Methane mitigation projects
| Mitigation Project Name | Project Type | GMI Reported Status | GMI Reported Start Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Esmeralda Mine Boiler Fuel Project - Mexico | utilization | Shut down | – |
| Mimosa Mine VI Flaring - Mexico | Flaring | In Development | 2013 |
| Mimosa Flare Heaters Project - Mexico | Flaring | Shut down | 2013 |
| Mimosa Mine VII Flaring - Mexico | Flaring | Cancelled | 2012 |
| Mimosa Mines - # 5 "La Esmeralda", # 6 and # 7 Power Generation Project - Mexico | utilization | In Development | – |
Methane Plumes Detected Nearby
Global Energy Monitor researchers analyze satellite-detected methane plumes in order to determine whether they have been observed at or near the site of GEM energy assets. The satellite data provider creates imagery of individual methane plumes and estimates their emission rates at the time of observation. GEM has reviewed many of these plume detections against Google Earth imagery and GEM’s own energy infrastructure tracker data. The following table lists methane plumes which are associated with the energy asset or facility based on distance and manual review. (A full description of the analysis process is available in the Global Methane Emitters Tracker methodology wiki page.)
Table M1: Plume details
| Observation date | Satellite data provider | Location of plume origin | Methane emissions rate | Additional plume information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-06-27T17:10:11+00 | CarbonMapper, emi20230627t171011p11031-A | 27.81898059, -101.1817804[21] | 2831.324646 kg/hr[21] | Coahuila de Zaragoza State Methane Observation 2023-06-27, 1 |
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
- ↑ https://www.bnamericas.com/en/news/investors-eye-bankrupt-ahmsa-but-us-tariffs-could-complicate-deal.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 https://www.ahmsa.com/sobre-ahmsa/subsidiarias/minosa/mimosa.html.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 https://www.mining-technology.com/marketdata/five-largest-coal-mines-mexico/.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 4.0 4.1 https://web.archive.org/web/20240302081056/https://www.globaldata.com/data-insights/mining/mexico--five-largest-coal-mines-in-2090765/.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 5.0 5.1 (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20220129220014/https://www.kalyanisteels.com/wp-content/uploads/EC-Letter-073120191.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 January 2022.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://www.mining-technology.com/marketdata/five-largest-coal-mines-mexico-2020/.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://www.mining-technology.com/marketdata/five-largest-coal-mines-mexico/?cf-view.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs named:0 - ↑ 9.0 9.1 Mexico: Five Largest Coal Mines in 2021, Global Data, accessed December 2022
- ↑ "Five largest coal mines in Mexico in 2020," Mining Technology, September 16, 2021
- ↑ 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 "Reporte Anual (p 56)" (PDF). AHMSA (Altos Hornos de México). December 31, 2020.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 "Annual Report 2018 (p 72)", AMHSA (Altos Hornos de México), December 31, 2018
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 "AHMSA Shuts Down Operations at Mimosa Mine VII". Mexico Business News. May 18, 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Minera mexicana Minosa se acoge a protección contra la quiebra". BNamericas. January 4, 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "The five largest coal mines in operation in Mexico". mining-technology.com. June 18, 2024. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Four dead in Mexican coal mine collapse". Reuters. August 26, 2011.
- ↑ "AHMSA Declared Bankrupt; Sale Ordered to Satisfy Creditors". mexicobusiness.news. November 12, 2024. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Judge Declares AHMSA Bankrupt". mexicobusiness.news. November 11, 2024. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "AHMSA sets bankruptcy auction schedule with $1.1B minimum bid". steelmarketupdate.com. January 21, 2026. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Global, Local Firms Seek to Acquire AHMSA's Assets". mexicobusiness.news. December 1, 2025. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 21.0 21.1 url=https://data.carbonmapper.org/
