Sheinbaum Negotiates with Vulcan to Avoid Dispute Panel

MEXICO CITY — President Claudia Sheinbaum revealed on Friday that the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) is negotiating with the company Vulcan Materials, owner of the Calica mine in Quintana Roo, to avoid reaching the end of the dispute panel initiated by the U.S.-based mining firm.

Vulcan Materials was prevented from continuing to exploit the Calica mine after the federal government declared the property a Natural Protected Area in September 2024.

During her morning press conference, the federal leader stated that continuing the exploitation of limestone at the mine is not an option. However, among the negotiations, the possibility has been opened for Calica to be converted into a tourism development.

“Continuing to exploit the mine is not an option. What alternatives are being considered as a possible option? That this space could have a low-impact tourism development,” the President explained.

She detailed that since the Calica property remains owned by Vulcan Materials, the mining company has the option to continue utilizing the land, albeit not for mining purposes.

“Alternative measures are being sought that do not involve the exploitation of the mine, that are within the management plan of the Natural Protected Area, and that allow them to continue usufructing that land but in a different manner,” the President added.

Sheinbaum Pardo assured that if the tourism development project is finalized, it would have to be consulted with the local communities of Quintana Roo. She emphasized that such an agreement with Vulcan Materials would be to avoid reaching the end of the panel.

The conflict between Vulcan Materials and the federal government began during the previous administration when the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) sanctioned the mining company for causing severe environmental damage at Calica, a property spanning over 50,000 hectares.

Profepa alerted that the exploitation of petreous material below the water table caused serious environmental damage, including the definitive and irrecoverable loss of the subsoil. Consequently, the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources shut down the mine.

Vulcan Materials continued seeking ways to exploit limestone despite the alleged ecocide. Before leaving the presidency, Andrés Manuel López Obrador declared the area where the mine is located a Natural Protected Area, thereby prohibiting extraction activities.

“Since they own the property, they would have the possibility to develop it; everything is being worked on with Semarnat,” insisted Sheinbaum.