In order to regularize and formalize mineral extraction in conflict areas, the National Mining Agency (ANM) launched this Thursday (15th) the 6th round of public offering that will allocate areas for garimpeira mining, in the states of Amapá, Bahia, Mato Grosso, Pará, Rondônia and Roraima. Public offers are supported by the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME).
“This makes it possible to work on mineral exploitation in accordance with the legislation after the granting of the title by the ANM, which happens after the granting of the environmental license and the authorizations and consents necessary for its validity”, explained the director general of the ANM. , Victor Hugo Froner Bicca.
Among the minerals that can be mined are gold, diamond, cassiterite, which can be mined independently of previous research work. According to the ministry, those interested in participating in the competition must express themselves through the SOPLE Portal until October 9, 2022. “Each prospector may express interest in only one area of up to 50 hectares. On the other hand, cooperatives, which must have at least 20 members each, may participate in up to 25 areas whose sum is at most 20 thousand hectares. Among the criteria that will prioritize those who may apply for a mining permit is the proximity of the garimpeiro cooperative headquarters to the disputed area,” the ministry explained in a statement.
The granting of the gold mining permit is valid for five years and can be renewed. According to Bicca, with the regularization of garimpeira mining in the areas, the ANM starts to identify and inspect real actors of the mining sector in these areas, with CPF, CNPJ, technical standards to be followed and plans, while environmental agencies begin to monitor compliance with licensing environmental conditions, conditions, demand the recovery of degraded areas and compliance with other plans and environmental control measures.
The areas made available for gold mining are completely outside of integral protection areas. The selection is based on requirements such as being an exempt area or resulting from any form of extinction of the mining right, having a mining alert, historical or identified occupation of extraction and geological formation compatible with the mining of prospectable minerals.
Satellite
Bicca adds that, in order to guarantee the effective inspection of the enterprises that will receive the mining permits, the ANM has satellite tracking and geoprocessing tools, in addition to monitoring in loco by their regional management teams.
Another factor that contributes to encouraging compliance with legal obligations, and care for the environment, is the fact that cooperatives must be registered with the Organization of Brazilian Cooperatives (OCB) to participate in the competition. “The body is attentive to the legitimacy of the cooperatives’ management, participation and work processes, in addition to providing technical guidance, adaptation to sustainability practices, in addition to training for work in the mineral sector with its best practices”, says Bicca.
By the end of the year, the 7th round to make areas available for mining is planned. Since September 2020, five rounds have been held with more than 16,000 areas released for the development of mineral projects in the research and mining phases across the country.
