Acting on behalf of the Peruvian Executive Branch, Justice Minister Marisol Perez Tello and a group of small-scale and artisanal mining guilds leaders on Thursday signed an agreement setting out specifications for the sector’s economic formalization.
The document provides that, by virtue of Congress-granted legislative powers, “the Executive Branch shall enact a rule that specifies the legal definition of illegal mining, as well as the necessary adjustments to regulation regarding the definition of illegal mining stipulated under legislative decree 1105.”
In this respect, it was agreed to define illegal mining as “that which takes place only in prohibited areas, as set forth in the third item of the statement released on November 21, 2016.”
It was also established that “the Energy and Mines Ministry shall hold a meeting with mining guilds to present the new formalization process for artisanal and small-scale mining.”
Likewise, the signing guilds express firm rejection of illegal mining and “support all government actions against illegal mining; while acknowledging that it differs from artisanal and small-scale mining.”
Regarding formalization, the rules provide for “an orderly, simple process.”
Lastly, the agreement states that the National Artisanal Miners Center (Cenami) representative and other related leaders will present a bill to Congress on “Micro and Small-scale Mining Protection and Promotion” on December 5.
(END) FGM/SMA/DHT/RMB
Published: 12/2/2016