Mexico is one of the Latin America's richest sources for
minerals and its mining industry has experienced a period of
sustained growth. In 2010, Mexico exported $15.47 billion in
minerals and growth is forecast to continue at least until 2015.
Though the benefits have been enormous for Mexico's economy, the
rise has in some cases been a burden thanks to the attention
mining has garnered from crime syndicates. Cartels have begun
targeting the industry more in recent years, kidnapping workers
for ransom, extorting up to $37,000 a month in “security fees”
from businesses, and stealing resources to sell on the black
market. In recent cases, cartels have even been found to operate
their own mines. For example, in May it was announced that the
federal government had discovered several illegal coal mines in
the northeastern state of Coahuila being run by criminal gangs.
The amounts earned by gangs from exploiting the mining sector
are considerable. In 2010, steel producers reported that $240
million worth of steel w