A brief review on coal reserves, production and possible non-power uses: The case of Mexico

Abstract

Coal has been a valuable natural resource for Mexico not just for its relative abundance but for its critical role in the development of the steel and energy industries. It has been also important in the socioeconomic context of the northeast of the country. However, since years ago, coal mining is facing a transition due to the emergence of new energy sources and the public concern about global warming. A brief review on coal reserves, production and possible non-power uses was carried out to provide insight on the reserves in a global context, extraction patterns and alternatives that the Mexican coal industry has to evolve. For this purpose, Mexican coal reserves were overviewed and contextualized at a global level and total coal production figures from 1970 to 2021 were analyzed to identify fluctuations and differences in the amounts produced between coking and non-coking coal. Further, rare earth elements, carbon fiber and humic acid from coal were briefly reviewed with the aim of initiating a debate on the high value-added products that can be obtained and the technologies that can be adopted to develop the coal industry of Mexico. Coal proven reserves in Mexico are of 1211 million tonnes and, from 1970 to 2021, 428.11 million tonnes have been produced. Of the total cumulative production, 68.8% corresponds to non-coking coal and 31.2% to coking coal.