| VIEW FROM THE TOP
LOOKING BACK ON A SIX-YEAR ACHIEVEMENT RAÚL CRUZ Director General of SGM
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Q: What were SGM’s most important advances during the
natural events that could cause damage to their health
last six years?
and property.
A: Thanks to the hard work of our valuable personnel and the invaluable support of both the Ministry of Economy and the
In terms of exploration for radioactive minerals, anomalous
Undersecretary of Mining, during the current administration,
radiometric responses, hydrothermal alterations, geophysical
significant progress was made in SGM’s institutional activities.
responses and geological conditions to identify and locate
We achieved upward growth in the fulfillment of our goals
uranium minerals were checked and analyzed. This broadened
and objectives. There are a few successes worth mentioning.
existing research by 17 percent compared to November 2012. It expands the exploration to the states of Durango and Oaxaca,
First, through the promotion of strategic sectors outlined in
which has allowed an increase in the reserves of resources by
the National Development Plan 2013-2018, SGM generated
more than 120 percent in the same period.
a cartography specialized in geology, mapping, mining, geochemistry, geophysics and mineral resources of the
The Gas Associated with Coal Deposits project was formally
country. As of June 2018, we have mapped 861,234km ,
concluded and, in compliance with the amendments to the
equivalent to 62.6 percent of the national territory with mining
Hydrocarbons and Mining Laws, information on the geological
potential.
potential of the areas studied in the northern states of the
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country was given to CNH. Simultaneously, a cooperation Support and advice were provided to 336 primarily small
agreement was confirmed that will allow SGM access to
and medium scale mining projects, as well as large mines
information related to hydrocarbons and to participate in joint
through exploration services. We used latest-generation
geological exploration.
technology, allowing us to identify with greater certainty minerals associated with economically-feasible deposits. In
SGM was rated as one of the top 10 agencies of the Federal
some cases, we applied hyperspectral technology, which
Public Administration. In 2016, it took eighth position among
consists of an overhead technique that measures the energy
270 agencies and in 2017 it ranked second. SGM revenues
from the sun reflected on the surface of the terrain. This
went from a deficit of MX$70 million in 2012 to a surplus of
allows the identification of alteration minerals on the earth’s
MX$254 million in 2017, which exceeds the MX$212 million of
surface that are the product of hydrothermal solutions and
fiscal resources received as support in the budget.
physical-chemical processes, indicative of possible deposits of minerals at depth.
SGM, has broadened the scope of the 1:50,000 scale geological mapping in Mexican states such as Veracruz,
SGM integrated 24 mining investments into its portfolio that
Oaxaca and others in Southeast Mexico. These states so far
included metallic minerals deposits such as gold, silver, copper,
have not attracted a great deal of mining activity but they
lead, zinc, molybdenum and tungsten. Of the assessed Mining
have great potential.
Assignments, SGM withdrew its rights from the Ministry of the Economy and 10 mining investment projects were proposed
Q: What are the areas of opportunity and how does SGM
for competitive bidding through a public process.
plan to face these? A: We consider it necessary to revise the current regulations
As for other activities, SGM developed the Natural Disaster
governing the functions of SGM, and we estimate that some
Risk Atlas for six municipalities in Hidalgo, as well as the
of them need to be updated, others adapted and expanded,
State Atlas of Yucatan, benefiting approximately 4 million
to allow SGM greater flexibility and efficiency in its operations.
inhabitants, whose authorities now have an instrument for
This would improve services and products generated for
consultation and guidance to protect the population from
Mexican society. Fortunately, there are several ideas and
