Brazilians feel that the participation of small miners is indispensable to Brazil’s economy. This is the activity that produces great part of the gems, precious metals, industrial minerals and other products for civil construction, like sand, clay and gravel.
In order to create public policies to strengthen the sector, the small miners are gathered at the 2nd National Seminar on Cooperatives and Associations in Mining, which is taking place since Monday, September 11, in the city of Luziânia, in the Midwestern Brazilian state of Goiás.
One of the speakers, the Geology, Mining and Mineral Transformation secretary at the Ministry of Mines and Energy, Claudio Scliar, says that one of the main problems in the sector is the informality which, many times, is made more difficult by the lack of knowledge in environmental licensing or in legal obligations like work safety.
The secretary highlights, however, the importance in the producers’ formalization. "In spite of paying taxes, the measure takes citizenship to this population: they may receive financings and support from public organizations or even make associations with other private segments, in a way of being in regular situation with the legislation."
The seminar ends today, September 13, and is promoted by the ministries of Mines and Energy and Work and Employment.
