Some of the main gold mines in Mexico, along with their gold production figures in 2020, are as follows:
- Peñasquito Mine – Produced by Goldcorp mining company, produced around 272,400 ounces of gold in 2020.
- Los Filos Mine – Operated by Equinox Gold, produced approximately 132,700 ounces of gold in 2020.
- Pinos Altos-Crestón Mascota Mine – Operated by Agnico Eagle, produced around 131,500 ounces of gold in 2020.
- La Herradura Mine – Operated by Fresnillo plc, produced approximately 122,800 ounces of gold in 2020.
- El Limón-Guajes Mine – Operated by Torex Gold, produced around 121,400 ounces of gold in 2020. Mulatos Mine – Produced by Alamos Gold, produced approximately 118,900 ounces of gold in 2020.
- San Francisco del Oro Mine – Operated by Alio Gold, produced around 43,900 ounces of gold in 2020.
The National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) reported in 2018 that there are 3,123 establishments dedicated to mining in Mexico, including the extraction of petroleum and gas, metallic and non-metallic minerals in mines, quarries, and material banks.
Some of the main mines by state are: in Sonora, Buenavista del Cobre, La Caridad, Piedras Verdes, and La Herradura; in Zacatecas, San Julián, Concepción del Oro, Saín Alto, and Villa de Cos; in San Luis Potosí, the San Luis Potosí Region, the Sierra de Catorce Region, and the Charcas Region. In Mexico, the search for gold is a profession that has existed since colonial times. The gambusinos, as informal gold seeker are known, continue to explore the territory in search of the nugget that will make them rich. In the state of Sonora, a second gold rush is underway, due to the presence of the precious metal in its territory.
Manuel Rangel Vigueras, a gold seeker with 25 years of experience in the activity, relates that, in colonial times, the Spanish found up to 50 kilos of gold per day, which were visible on the surface. Nowadays, valuable nuggets have been found, such as one weighing 12 kilos in the Altar desert, as well as others weighing 72 and 15 pounds. The gambusinos work hard to find alluvial gold, which is washed down by rivers from the mountains and deposited in the Sonora desert. When they find something, they sell it for a price that can reach $30 per gram. However, for Manuel Rangel Vigueras, money is not what motivates him to keep searching for gold. What motivates him are the stories of great treasures lost in the earth, which were accumulated by indigenous tribes or left by the Spanish near the mines. Despite the difficulties and risks involved in the activity of searching for gold, the gambusinos continue to put all their effort into the search for the nugget that will change their lives. In the Sonora desert, the gold rush is still alive and the seekers do not stop in their tireless search.”