The Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) published, on Wednesday (10/19), Decree No. 695/2022, which establishes guidelines for the procedures for the availability of areas with a view to the exploitation of mineral resources. The continuous offer of areas is fundamental for the transformation of mineral assets into wealth, besides contributing to the promotion of competition and diversification of Brazil’s mineral matrix, always based on sustainable development.
The regulation establishes that the National Mining Agency (ANM) is responsible for adopting objective criteria, of a technical, economic and social nature, in the selection and offer of areas in availability. In addition, transparency and wide dissemination of the procedures must be guaranteed. Another aspect brought by the ordinance concerns the predictability in the offer, with the definition of two rounds at least per year, with an annual schedule to be published at the beginning of each calendar year.
Continuous offer of areas is fundamental for the transformation of the mineral patrimony into wealth and contributes to the diversification of the Brazilian mineral base.
, informed the MME.
The regulation establishes that the Geological Service of Brazil (SGB-CPRM) will provide technical support to ANM in the preparation of analyses and in the consolidation and availability of data from geological surveys of its heritage. Thus, it will be possible to provide the technical information necessary for continuous improvement of the procedure for offering areas under availability.
Objectives
The objective is to maintain the flow of the supply of areas under availability, to regionalize the supply, to diversify the mineral substances offered, to include small mining and to promote competition among the economic agents.
Among the guidelines established by the regulation, the MME underlines:
I – the gradual reduction of the stock of areas;
II – the regionalization of the supply of areas;
III – the diversification of the mineral substances offered
IV – the insertion of small mining;
V – promote the rational use of mineral resources; and
VI – fostering competition among economic agents.
Offer of areas in availability
The offer of areas under availability is currently one of the main mechanisms for increasing the attractiveness of the mineral sector to private investment. Five rounds of public offers have already been held, which attracted R$275.8 million in investments. The 6th round, launched in September, and the 7th, scheduled for November, are planned for this year. The 8th and 9th rounds will be launched in 2023.
Access here the Portaria nº 695/2022
