Mining Can Become a Zero-Harm Industry
Mexico BusinessAug 24, 2021
On Sun., Mexico's Pres. Andrés Manuel López Obrador urged rescue teams to intensify their efforts to save 10 miners trapped in a flooded coal mine as he visited the operation in Agujita, in the northern state of Coahuila.
This comes four days after Mexican authorities reported the incident and sent hundreds of personnel to participate in the rescue mission. Five other workers have been able to escape from the mine, all of them on Wednesday.
The Mexican mining sector has sought to increase the safety of mining through advanced standards and procedures that allow for productivity while protecting and prioritizing employees' health and safety. Accidents continue to happen, so there is still work to be done, but progress is certainly being made.
This latest collapse exposes systemic problems in the Mexican mining sector, such as the lack of inspections and complicity with mining companies. The government must devote every resource to rescuing the trapped and commit to reviewing mining conditions and safety to prevent further tragedies.