Mexico's mining output falls

Mexico's mining output slipped 0.7% in October, compared to the same month last year.

This fourth consecutive monthly drop was partly driven by a 12.1% decline in iron pellet production, to 525,076t, the lowest figure since January 2016, according to statistics agency Inegi.

Gold output fell 9.5% to 9,360kg (300,924oz), while silver rose 14% to 352,648kg (11.3Moz).

Mexico produced 37,146t of copper, the lowest figure since May 2015, and down from 39,036t in October 2016. Lead output was down 5.0% at 15,129t, with zinc up 8.1% at 34,886t.

Sulphur production was down 6.8% at 45,051t, with coke down 3.9% at 110,916. Sulphur and coke were up from multi-year lows reported in September.

Fluorspar output was down 5.5% at 51,565t, with non-coking coal up 16.1% at 676,762t and gypsum up 29% to 582,225t.

JANUARY-OCTOBER

Overall mining output was down 1.3% in January-October, from the same period last year, with sulphur down 17.4%, non-coking coal down 14.5%, fluorspar 6.2%, coke 6.0%, gold down 4.6% and copper 1.0%.

Iron pellet production was up 0.4%, with silver up 0.9%, gypsum 2.6%, lead 3.5% and zinc up 11.2%.

Mexico is the world's biggest silver producer and a top 10 miner of gold, copper, zinc, lead and molybdenum.