In brief
Through Resolution No. 89/2022 (“Resolution“), published on 22 February 2022, the National Ministry of Productive Development (“Ministry“) created: (i) “The System of Public Information about Mining Activities in Argentina for the Community” (SIACAM, as its original acronyms in Spanish); and (ii) “The National Roundtable on Mining for the Community” (MEMAC, as its original acronyms in Spanish). Both motions aim to increase the citizens’ confidence in mining.
Mainly, SIACAM will provide public and detailed information on the social, economic and environmental impacts of mining activities, and MEMAC will organize multi-stakeholder dialogue spaces to discuss the benefits, risks and factors to be considered for the development of mining in Argentina.
The main aspects of the Resolution are as follows:
- SIACAM
- The National Directorate for Production Studies, jointly with the Directorate of Mining Transparency and Information (“Directorates“), will be in charge of: (i) preparing, managing and updating SIACAM; and (ii) issuing anxiliary and clarifying regulations.
- Information regarding the economic, geological, geographic, social, sanitary and environmental aspects of mining activity in the country shall be provided to citizens periodically.
- To achieve SIACAM’s objectives, the Directorates may request the national and provincial competent entities for assistance and cooperation in collecting information.
- MEMAC
- MEMAC’s management will be in charge of the Secretariat of Mining and the Consulting Cabinet Unit (“Management“).
- MEMAC’s objectives in promoting mining are: (i) opening dialogue roundtables; (ii) spreading and analyzing information with the community; and (iii) presenting and discussing the guidelines of the Argentine Mining Development (“Objectives“).
- To achieve the Objectives, the Management shall essentially: (i) request periodic reports from certain entities such as the Federal Administration of Gross Income and the Ministry of Health; (i) prepare a “Work Plan for 2022”; (iii) invite people and institutions to present at the sessions; (iv) dictate MEMAC’s operating rules; (v) hold at least two sessions per month, making the first two sessions at the Ministry and prioritizing the inland areas of the country for the subsequent locations; and (vi) publish annually the sessions’ highlights and members’ recommendations.
- The Ministry invited several national and provincial entities involved in mining to: (i) actively participate in MEMAC; (ii) send their representatives; and (iii) propose locations for future sessions.
- The sessions will be held in public, recorded, and then uploaded to the Ministry’s website. The presenters shall have knowledge and expertise in mining. Media outlets may attend the sessions as observers, but they may not actively participate in the debate.
Click here to access the Spanish version.
