# South American mining regulatory reforms

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/south-american-mining-regulatory-reforms
> Updated: 2026-08-10T18:54:04.000Z. Sources: 10. Developments: 3.

In mid‑July, mining authorities in Chile, Argentina and Colombia convened to discuss a range of regulatory and safety issues. Chile’s Mining Council met with the Subsecretary of Mining to review a mining‑protection bill and the environmental management of a specific project, while Argentina’s Mendoza province opened a review of a contested appointment to its Mining Council. Colombia issued its first comprehensive mine‑closure decree, establishing mandatory closure plans and post‑closure land‑use requirements.

Ten days later, the focus shifted toward formalising small‑scale mining. Chile’s lower house approved a new mining bill that simplifies the patent system for small and medium miners, sending the proposal to the Senate for further debate. In Peru, officials highlighted the sector’s contribution to export earnings and warned that illegal mining is undermining institutional capacity, calling for a clear formalisation policy. Colombia released a draft decree to update its Bank of Areas for Mining Formalisation, though critics note that some evaluation criteria remain undefined.

By August, regulatory efforts expanded to include environmental oversight and administrative modernization. In Chile, the mining sector expressed support for a draft amendment to the Environmental Impact Assessment System (SEIA) regulations, which proposes increasing the entry threshold for mining projects to reduce bureaucracy and provide certainty for small-scale operations. Concurrently, Peru’s Ministry of Energy and Mines approved new technical standards for mine closure plans and progress reports, aiming to standardize evaluations and strengthen the monitoring of environmental commitments.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-10: Mining regulations undergo updates in Chile and Peru

Mining regulations are undergoing changes in Chile and Peru, focusing on increasing thresholds for small-scale projects and standardizing mine closure and environmental reporting requirements.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/mining-regulations-undergo-updates-in-chile-and-peru

### 2026-07-23: Chile, Peru and Colombia move forward with small‑scale mining reforms

Chile's lower house passed a mining law easing permits for small miners; Peru highlighted mining’s export share and urged stronger formalisation; Colombia drafted a decree to refine its mining formalisationbank

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/chile-peru-and-colombia-move-forward-with-smallscale-mining-reforms

### 2026-07-13: Mining Councils in Chile, Argentina and Colombia Advance New Regulations

Chile's Mining Council met with Subsecretary Álvaro González on regulatory and environmental issues; Argentina reviewed a disputed Mendoza Mining Council appointment over qualification rules; Colombia issued De

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/mining-councils-in-chile-argentina-and-colombia-advance-new-regulations

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Cite as: South American mining regulatory reforms. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/south-american-mining-regulatory-reforms