Mining Code Working Group holds a hearing with national stone sector entities

Through the Brazilian Center for Dimension Stone Exporters (Centrorochas) and the Union of Dimension Stone, Lime and Limestone Industries of the State of Espírito Santo (Sindirochas), in partnership with federal deputy Evair de Melo, this Friday, September 10, in Vitória, capital of Espírito Santo, a round table on the Brazilian ornamental stone sector, integrating the activities of the Working Group aimed at updating the Mining Code (GT Mining Code). Espírito Santo was chosen to host the WG’s first round table because it is the largest producing and exporting state in the country, being responsible for around 82% of all dimension stones sent to the international market.

The coordinator of the GT Mining Code, federal deputy Evandro Roman (PATRIOTA/PR) led the meeting alongside his bench colleagues, federal deputy Greyce Elias (AVANTE/MG), rapporteur of the GT, federal deputy Evair de Melo (PP/ES), coordinator of the ornamental rocks subgroup and federal deputy Felipe Rigoni (PSB/ES). The meeting also had the participation of representatives of the national stone sector: Tales Machado (president of Centrorochas), Ed Martins, (president of Sindirochas), Eduardo Félix (president of Sinrochas-MG), Carlos Rubens Alencar (president of Simagran- CE), Luis Azevedo (vice-president of the Mining Thematic Council of the National Confederation of Industry, Comin/CNI), the director of the National Mining Agency (ANM), Débora Tocci, among other leaders.

Formed to debate and prepare a legislative proposal aimed at amending Decree-Law No. 227/67 – Mining Code, the GT was organized into seven sub-reports, divided according to the different economic and regulatory segments of the mineral sector: metallic minerals; area auctions; ornamental rocks; non-metallic minerals; construction aggregates; tailings dams; and gold mining.

“The Working Group on Mining was created to review the Mining Code, ranging from gold to ornamental rocks. An important discussion on what should be adequate to meet the conditions imposed by the current situation. Have the visit of parliamentary colleagues in our state shows the strength and reference that the sector has, being used as a case study. In this way, we will continue in search of improvements for all”, said federal deputy Evair de Melo.

Spokesperson for Centrorochas, national representative of the ornamental stone sector, the president of the entity Tales Machado gave an overview of the ornamental stone sector, highlighting the sectorial agreement recently signed with Apex-Brasil and explained that the law that governs the procedure for exploration of mineral goods dates from 1967. “This law underwent some changes decades ago, but they do not identify with the dynamics of the ornamental stone sector, which is subject to fads and demand a speed that the law does not provide. Depending on how things happen in the material world in relation to rocks, it is necessary to find ways for the answer to be as quick as possible. Of course, without losing legal certainty and environmental preservation. And that’s what we did here today,” he pointed out.

For Ed Martins, president of Sindirochas, the largest employers’ union in the sector in the country, the matter is urgent and deserves attention from the entire production chain. “The Espírito Santo stone sector is anxiously waiting for the express revocation of CONAMA resolutions of 009 and 010 of 1990. These are urgent points as they have influenced the regulation of environmental licensing throughout the state of Espírito Santo. They link the administrative procedure for obtaining the mining title with the administrative procedure for environmental licensing, this interdependence of the bodies ends up delaying the processes on both fronts”, he clarified and completed by saying that these resolutions already have an opinion in the Attorney General’s Office declaring their revocation, but that, however, it would be important to have an express revocation so that the state environmental agencies would feel more comfortable not observing this link between procedures.

“A large part of what we call code problems are not problems with the code itself. For example, the issue of agility, which is related to the body’s structure. We have to take advantage of all the technological advances there to modernize the processes”, completed the president of Simagran-CE, Carlos Rubens Alencar, who participated in a virtual way.

The director of relations with associates and municipalities, Alexandre Valadares Mello, outlined an overview of the stone sector in relation to the Mineral Code. “We at IBRAM see the need to encourage mineral research, the first phase of a mining project”, he mentioned during his speech.

Also participating in the round table were the president of the Brazil China Sociocultural Institute (IBRACHINA), Thomas Law, the vice president of coordination of Brazil China Bilateral Relations at OAB Naci

onal, Sóstenes Marchezine and the state coordinator of the Brazil-China Bilateral Relations coordination in the State of Espírito Santo, José Carlos Ceolin Júnior.

The GT Mining Code
Formed to debate and prepare a legislative proposal aimed at amending Decree-Law No. 227/67 – Mining Code, the working group will seek to collect contributions from society and entities linked to the mineral sector through public hearings and meetings.

The themes were organized with seven sub-reports, divided according to the different economic and regulatory segments of the mineral sector. Each of them should work independently and in parallel, with the aim of collecting contributions from society and converting them into improvements to the legal text. Although independent from each other, the activities of each sub-rapporteurship will preferably take place on agendas that do not coincide, in order to allow the participation of the other sub-rapporteurs in all the topics addressed. They are: metallic minerals; area auctions; ornamental rocks; non-metallic minerals; construction aggregates; tailings dams; and gold mining.

The collegiate is coordinated by Deputy Roman (Patriota-PR) and has Deputy Greyce Elias as rapporteur. The work plan was presented at the Chamber in July this year and the final report is expected to be presented next November.

The following parliamentarians integrate the coordination and reporting of the Mining WG:
Coordinator: Roman (PATRIOTA/PR)

Sub-Rapporteur: Joaquim Passarinho (PSD/PA)

Sub-Rapporteur: Da Vitoria (CITIZENSHIP/ES)

Sub-Rapporteur: Evair Vieira de Melo (PP/ES)

Sub-Rapporteur: Ricardo Izar (PP/SP)

Sub-Rapporteur: Nereu Crispim (PSL/RS)

Sub-Rapporteur: Zé Silva (SOLIDARITY/MG)

Sub-Rapporteur: Jhonatan de Jesus (REPUBLICANOS/RR)

General Rapporteur: Greyce Elias (AVANTE/MG)

Photos: Rodrigo Gavini