In Guatemala, the supply and on-site delivery of 4,400 cubic meters of boulder-type basalt rock is being put out to tender.
Guatemala Government Purchase 7820054:
"The department of forestry, conservation and soil management, at the Authority of Lake Amatitlán, wishes to purchase 4,400 cubic meters of basalt boulder rock, for the expansion and stabilization of the channel, banks and slopes of the Villalobos riverand the confluence of its main tributaries.
According to a recent study, companies that carry out mining activities in the country, operate with a profit margin of 22% before paying taxes.
The report prepared by Central American Business Intelligence (CABI), details that companies in the mining industry operating in Guatemala can achieve extraction costs of up to 55%.
The contribution of mining activities to GDP has reduced in recent years, and recent cases of suspension of operating permits are not helping to improve the sector's image.
In 2012 the contribution of mining activities represented 2.8% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), but this proportion has been decreasing in recent years, falling to 1.1% of GDP in 2015.On top of this are the recent cases of suspension of exploration permits, which have generated uncertainty among the sector's entrepreneurs.
In one week seven projects were suspended and ten others could also suffer the same fate, while 611 license applications are under review.
Ten projects located in Santa Rosa, Quiché, San Marcos, Quetzaltenango, Huehuetenango, Totonicapan and Baja Verapaz are facing law suits for different reasons, from alleged violations of the human right to water to a breach of opposition administrative formalities.
The Mining Exploitation Project Niquegua Montufar II, run by Compañía Guatemalteca de Níquel, and the one called Tajmulco II, by Montana Exploradora de Guatemala, have been suspended by the government.
A statement issued by the Ministry of Energy and Mines indicates that "...Adhering to the appeal granted by the First Chamber of the Court of Appeals of the Civil and Commercial Branch constituted in the Court of Appeal, the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM), notified Compañía Guatemalteca de Níquel (CGN), of the suspension of its authorization license for operating the mining exploitation project Niquegua Montufar II. "
On August 16 and 17 industry representatives from around the globe will be taking part in business conferences and lectures on the role of mineral resources and the impact of the activity on the economy.
The II International Mining Congress is being organized by the Mining Chamber of Nicaragua and will be held on August 16 and 17 in Managua.
The conference will include business conferences, panels and lectures on the economic and social impact of mining on communities; the role of metallic and non-metallic mineral resources in developing countries and environmental challenges in modern mining.
On November 12nd and 13th Panama City Latin American mining companies will be gathering together in Panama City to address the challenges and opportunities for the industry in Central America.
The Mining Chamber of Panama is organizing the event, in conjunction with the Latin American Mining Organization (Olami), called the First International Mining Congress, which will focus on the challenges and opportunities of mining activities in Central America.
The miners of construction aggregates oppose the increase of 1% to 10% on mining royalties and propose that the tax should be proportional to the volume and type of material extracted.
The Mining Association of Guatemala (AMG) wants royalties to remain at 10% for gold and silver, while for limestone, sand, plaster and other building materials for them to be reduced to 3%, negotiable.
Conflicts over environmental protection and excessive bureaucracy in the process of granting concessions are the factors that limit the great mining potential in the region.
The mining sector in Central America represents great potential for investment and business, however, it has so far contributed only 0.75% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), averaged from the six countries in the region, between 2008 and 2012.
A study reveals the state's inability to meet the demands for services and road infrastructure that arise when a mining project is set up.
"Mining in Guatemala's economy in 2011 accounted for 2.8% of the production of goods and services nationwide .... By 2012, the total tax contribution of the mining sector was $62,496,766 equivalent to 5.7% of production of mining and quarrying," indicated the Central American Institute for Fiscal Studies (ICEFI).
Representatives of companies in the sector and investors will meet from 2 to 5 March in Canada in order to take part in the business conference.
The Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDCA) has organized since 1932 the Annual Mining Convention which is attended by companies involved in the industry of mining exploration and exploitation in various countries.
Royalties on mineral holdings in Guatemala will be imposed on three levels related to the base value of the extracted material.
According to Mario Marroquin, president of the Union of Mining and CEO of the company Montana Exploradora (main extractor of gold and silver in Guatemala), precious metals are those with the highest and there are other lower rates for base metals and non-metallic minerals.
Mining businesses are concerned about communities who are resistance to mining activities, delays in the approval of permits and amendments to the Mining Act.
Next on the list of concerns for the sector, is the evolution of the global crisis, which investments in the extractive industry are dependent on.
Elperiodico.com.gt reports that clashes with opposition social groups "is a matter of the state and could find a possible solution next year, said Fernando Castellanos, director of mining at the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) . "