Brazilian Mining in the Globalized World

12th Congress and EXPOSIBRAM show the way for Brazilian growth

Brazilian Mining in the Globalized World is the central theme of the 12th Brazilian Mining Congress that IBRAM is promoting in September in Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais). To the Brazilian Mining Institute, assessing the present participation of the activity and its future prospects in the global market means foreseeing the paths which Brazil must follow in quest of the much sought-after sustainable development.

Mining is at the base of all national and worldwide industry. This is a notion that those that have any actuation or dealings with the sector are well aware of, but it is somewhat not understood by those responsible for formulating public policies. Based on a knowledge and on a profound analysis of the current mineral reserves, the potential of new exploration areas, the volumes of present and future production, the competitiveness of companies active in Brazilian territory, among others, that will be possible if an exact dimension for what the country can expect in terms of its development over the coming decades can be obtained. And furthermore, define which economic sectors really deserve most attention from the Public Authorities and private sector.

At first sight it seems like an obvious statement: make a survey of the raw material so that productive sectors can plan their actions appropriately. However, the Mining industry, in spite of its very obvious importance, is facing barriers to its development which a primary analysis suggests should already have been the object of greater concern and arrangements on the part of the Public Authorities. This is a banner that IBRAM has always raised and which has reached some progress but it has also run up against incomprehensible resistance.

The latest word is to invest in infrastructure in order to take off in the direction of growth levels more compatible with the importance of a nation which for years now has been registering unacceptably modest increases in the GNP and other economic indicators. Mining is among the segments that occupy the center of attentions in this initiative directed at overcoming those results that are not compatible with the country largeness. For that to become a reality however, it is necessary to clearly reveal the current situation and the forecast of the extent to which mining activity can contribute to the present and future of Brazil. The Growth Acceleration Program (PAC in Portuguese) has been welcomed by the sector, but a series of attitudes needs to be adopted in order to effectively produce the desired results.

Pointing the way is the spirit that inspires the 12th Brazilian Mining Congress to seek the convergence of all the various thinking groups involved. However it is not only in the field of ideas and proposals that this goal can be achieved. The praxis is also fundamental and it is materialized at EXPOSIBRAM - Exposição Internacional de Mineração (International Mining Exhibition) which takes place in an area next to that of the 12th Congress. There, the grandiose nature of the sector becomes clearly visible to those who wish to get an idea of the real dimensions of the mining industry. In this year's edition of the event, IBRAM estimates that a higher number of deals will be made, not only because of the boom in minerals but also because of the structuring of the business areas, which will provide participating companies with a format never before used in this event, that together with the Congress constitute the most important event for Brazilian Mining and for the entire South American continent.

Brazilian Mining Institute – IBRAM
Paulo Camillo Vargas Penna
President