Mexico miners call off strike at AHMSA on wage deal

MEXICO CITY, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Mexican miners agreed to a 9 percent pay increase at two mines owned by AHMSA, Mexico's third-largest steel company, avoiding a strike planned for Wednesday, the union said on Tuesday.

"There will be no strike ... they agreed to 9 percent-plus benefits," union spokesman Carlos Pavon told Reuters.

Many Mexican mining companies are negotiating new contracts with workers demanding pay increases they see as justified by high metals prices.

The union has also threatened to lay down tools at Penoles' (PENOLES.MX: Quote, Profile, Research) giant silver refinery on Friday if a similar pay agreement is not reached, said Pavon.

Miners seeking higher wages are currently on strike at the giant Penoles-owned Naica lead mine in the northern state of Chihuahua.

A series of strikes over the past two years has cost Mexico's mining sector an estimated $2.4 billion dollars, the national mining chamber has said. (Reporting by Mica Rosenberg; Editing by Christian Wiessner)