Brazil advances mining regulation with gold plan consultation and iron ore CFEM rules

The Ministry of Mines and Energy opened a public consultation on Thursday (July 9) for the draft National Action Plan for Artisanal and Small‑Scale Gold Mining (PAN‑MAPE). The plan, prepared to meet Brazil’s commitments under the Minamata Convention on mercury, seeks contributions on governance, formalisation of activities, adoption of mercury‑free technologies, institutional capacity, and monitoring mechanisms. The draft was drafted jointly with the Environment Ministry, Foreign Ministry, Health Ministry, Indigenous Peoples Ministry, the National Mining Agency, Ibama, CETEM, research institutions, international organisations and civil‑society representatives, with support from the Global Environment Facility and UNEP. Submissions are accepted online until 7 August.

The National Mining Agency (ANM) issued Sumula No. 14/2026, a binding interpretation that classifies iron‑ore pelletisation as a mineral‑beneficiation activity and states that the Compensation Financial by Exploration (CFEM) base must be calculated at the point of sale. The ruling, which aligns with earlier agency positions, is expected to raise the CFEM tax base because pellets command higher market values than raw ore. The sumula also clarifies constitutional limits on the CFEM, distinguishing pelletisation as an industrialisation step beyond the definition of "lavra" (mineral extraction).