Raúl García Reimbert took office on July 31 as president of the Asociación de Ingenieros de Minas, Metalurgistas y Geólogos de México (AIMMGM) for the 2026-2028 term. In his first address, the incoming leader warned that mining exploration investment fell 11.5% during 2024 and called for policies that reactivate sector growth and halt job losses, particularly in exploration.
The transition comes at a moment when critical minerals, from lithium to rare earths, have become central to North America's energy transition. According to Rumbo Minero, the inauguration ceremony took place in Mexico City, where outgoing president Octavio Alvídrez Cano formally handed authority to the new board. According to data from the Secretaría de Economía, approximately 232,000 people were employed in metallic and non-metallic mineral mining in the first quarter of 2026, with 67.5% in formal employment. Sector performance is closely watched in the northern states, where mining underpins a significant share of formal employment.
García Reimbert's agenda includes innovation, technological development, continuous training, and closer engagement with communities. He estimated that the sector can mobilize more than 43 billion dollars in investment over the next six years, provided adequate regulatory, operational, and safety conditions are maintained, and called for stronger collaboration between the industry and the various levels of government to improve working conditions for miners. The board includes, among others, Armando Alatorre, Laura Cristina Díaz, and Agustín Rodríguez in vice-presidential roles. On stepping down, Rubén del Pozo Mendoza defended the outgoing administration: 'Defending mining is defending the development of our country; guiding good mining practice is honoring the talent of its technicians and professionals.'
The new board will have two years to translate that agenda into greater exploration, training, and stronger ties with mining states. The next indicator will be the trajectory of exploration and investment, the two fronts the incoming president placed at the center of his mandate.
This article was drafted with artificial intelligence assistance from verified sources and reviewed by a human editor before publication.