The Tax Authority (AT) identified two billion meticais (approximately $31 million) in debts from the past five years related to surface and production mining taxes in the country, Lusa reported on Friday (26).
Referring to the Coordinating Council of the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy (MIREME), held this week, the AT stated in a note released Friday that during the meeting, the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Estêvão Pale, “highlighted the importance of the AT in identifying around two billion meticais from outstanding Surface Taxes (ISS) and Mining Production Taxes (IPM).”
These taxes relate to mining activities. The ISS applies to the mining area in question and must be paid annually. IPM rates vary depending on whether the mining involves diamonds, precious metals, gemstones and semi-precious stones, heavy sands, base metals, coal, ornamental rocks, sand, or stone, and are levied on the value of the mineral product extracted after processing.
On Tuesday (22), Lusa had reported that in the first half of this year, also in coordination with the AT, 301.3 million meticais had been collected in revenue through the recovery of tax debts.
“Additionally, 223.4 million meticais in enforceable bonds were identified, which will be redirected to the State to support the rehabilitation and closure of abandoned mines,” MIREME reported at the time. The same document added that the government issued 1,858 mining exploration licenses in the first half of the year and collected 301.3 million meticais through the recovery of tax debts in the mining sector.
MIREME stated that in the first six months of the year, “the mining sector recorded significant progress with the issuance of 1,858 mining titles, corresponding to 69% of pending requests until 2024, reducing backlog in the mining licensing system and restoring credibility to the process.”
At the end of March, the government announced it would impose rules on the use of mineral and energy resources, stating that they should benefit the country, and expressed interest in “releasing” areas considered “idle” for exploitation.
Mozambique had approximately three thousand exploration licenses in the mineral and energy sectors, according to March data released by the government.
Source: Diário Económico
