Mining companies in Chile will present a proposal on the sector to the assembly that drafts a new Constitution

Mining companies operating in Chile will deliver to the assembly that drafts a new constitution for the world’s largest copper producer a document with proposals on the development of the sector, the industry association reported on Monday.

The National Mining Society (Sonami) explained that the report is the result of work carried out since 2020 and that it focuses on sustainability, legal framework and economic environment.

“The document incorporates five areas that the constituent body’s discussion on mining should consider: special characteristics of mining and state investment vs. the private one; mining and water; mining and indigenous peoples; mining and technological innovation and mining regulatory architecture”He said in a statement.

In the election of the drafters of the Magna Carta, both the ruling center-right and the traditional center-left, which governed the country for the most part since the return to democracy, suffered a defeat against independent candidates and a left coalition with the Communist Party.

The mining companies have shown concern about the uncertainty about the contents that the Constituent Convention will debate and have underlined the importance of maintaining the rules of the game that have allowed the evolution of the sector in the country.

“It would be desirable to maintain the regime of protection of mining concessions for patent payment, which allows providing the necessary certainty and stability to the mining concessionaire. This mechanism has been internationally recognized for its objective, transparent and easy-to-control operation.”, He pointed out.

Previously, the Mining Council -which groups together the large multinational mining companies- also said that it would seek to influence the debate on the new constitution.

The constitutional discussion appears at a time when the copper and copper industry lithium they are in the public eye for a debate on a royalty on sales, in a year in which the price of copper has reached all-time highs.