The federal government backing comes largely within the type of easing the licencing course of by facilitating, for instance, the dialogue between the environmental company accountable for conducting the environmental licensing course of and authorities such because the managing our bodies of Conservation Items, the Nationwide Indian Basis (Funai), the Nationwide Institute for Colonization and Agrarian Reform (Incra) and the Nationwide Institute of Historic and Creative Heritage (Iphan).
Having a undertaking of any of the listed minerals doesn’t mechanically qualify an organization to entry this system, mentioned Adriano Drummond Trindade, a Brazilian lawyer specializing in the mining sector.
“Every undertaking must be assessed on a case by case foundation by the federal government, but this appears to be an essential initiative to help in navigating via the assorted public entities concerned at allowing a mineral undertaking,” he instructed MINING.COM.
An organization that has a undertaking of a mineral deemed strategic could request help from the federal government so long as it meets sure standards
Trindade explains that the strategic minerals coverage is run by the Funding Partnerships Program (PPI), which is a governmental physique devoted to increasing and accelerating the implementation of initiatives with the participation of the non-public sector in Brazil.
An organization that has a undertaking of a mineral deemed strategic could request help from the PPI so long as it meets particular standards, he mentioned.
For a mineral to be thought of important to Brazil’s growth, it should slot in certainly one of three classes.
Maybe a very powerful is that the nation is at present depending on imports of such minerals to provide key sectors of the financial system. That is the case of potassium and phosphate, most important components for the manufacturing of crops vitamins.
Brazil imports about 96.5% of the potassium chloride it makes use of for fertilizers and can be the biggest potash importer. In keeping with the most recent official figures, it purchased 10.45 million tonnes in 2019.
Minerals utilized in high-tech merchandise and processes, corresponding to uncommon earth parts and lithium, are additionally thought of strategic and associated initiatives can anticipate being fast-tracked.
The third group is made up by minerals important for the native financial system because of the era of a surplus within the nation’s commerce steadiness, corresponding to iron ore and niobium.
Not quicker or much less rigorous
“You will need to make clear that the standard environmental businesses stay totally accountable for conducting the licencing processes based on the relevant laws,” Drummond Trindade mentioned.
He added that corporations mustn’t assume the environmental licencing course of to be shorter, quicker or much less rigorous.
What miners that qualify for this system can anticipate is assist from the PPI with contacting an organization with totally different entities in order to attenuate dangers and resolve conflicts which will occur. This, Drummond Trindade added, could characterize advances in mineral initiatives’ environmental licencing.
Firms working and exploring in Brazil are primarily after iron ore (the nation is the world’s prime producer of the steel-making ingredient) and gold, although the nation additionally holds massive reserves of potash, bauxite, manganese and oil.
