Scheduled to be sent to the Brazilian congress in April 2011,the country's new mining regulatory framework is still waiting for the government to draw up three bills to regulate the sector.
Local miners are not surprised by the continued delays,as the sector's companies are well acquainted with the difficulties the government has had in closing the new regulatory framework,local press reported.
According to niobium miner CBMM's general director Mr Tadeu Carneiro,the new mining code has stalled because it is too complex,as it involves political interests from the ministries of planning and finance in addition to the mines and energy ministry.CBMM is the world's biggest niobium producer.
The MME is responsible for updating the current code in the industry which dates back to the 1960s and responsible for increasing royalty collection similar to the practices being enforced in several other mineral-producing countries.
However,JoséFernando Coura,president of Brazilian mining association Ibram,has a more straightforward explanation for the delay to the new mineral code:"It is not the government's priority."
The constant delays to the approval of Brazil's new mining regulatory framework have caused speculation and could lead to a loss of investments,Ibram's mineral affairs director Marcelo Tunes said previously.
