Mexico to tighten coal mining regulations after deadly accident

Mexico is set to tighten regulations on coal mining operations, the labor ministry said on Thursday, following widespread scrutiny brought on after a 2022 mine collapse killed 10.

The plan eliminates a previous system which allowed “small-scale” coal mining operations to be subject to less strict safety requirements or exemptions from certain rules.

The 2022 disaster in the northern border state of Coahuila highlighted the dangers workers face at Mexico’s small, unregulated coal mines and drew criticism of state utility CFE, which the mine provided with coal.

Last year, eight workers in a Coahuila coal mine were briefly trapped after the winch pulling their mine cart broke, local media reported.

The fresh regulations mandate larger tunnel dimensions for structural safety, ventilation systems to ensure adequate oxygen, and new technical standards for ramp inclinations, the labor ministry said.

Beyond powering a small percent of Mexico’s energy grid, coal is used in the country by steelmakers such as ArcelorMittal.

(By Kylie Madry; Editing by Natalia Siniawski)