Mining 2025

BOLIVIA Law and Practice Contributed by: Ramiro Guevara, Jorge Inchauste and Rosario Echeverría, Dentons Guevara & Gutiérrez S.C.

3.2 Climate Change Legislation and Proposals Related to Mining The Law of Mother Earth and Integral Develop - ment (Law No 300 of 15 October 2022) provides general principles for environmental protection. Pursuant to said law, the Bolivian State assumes responsibility for developing sustainable pro - cesses for mineral exploitation and industrialisa - tion, but sustainable processes for mining activi - ties have not yet been implemented. 3.3 Sustainable Development Initiatives Related to Mining The Sectorial Plan for Integral Mining-Metal - lurgical Development 2016–2020, prepared by the Ministry of Mining and Metallurgy, recom - mends that mining operators incorporate clean technologies and good practices for solid, liquid and gaseous waste management, in accordance with national or international standards. In addition, the Ministry of Mining issued guide - lines in 2023 on the sustainable development of mining activities. 3.4 Energy-Transition Minerals In recent years, Bolivia has been going through a crisis in the exploitation and commercialisation of traditional natural resources, such as hydro - carbons and gold. Therefore, the exploitation of lithium reserves is one of the main governmen - tal objectives to maintain the natural resources industry. In 2021, the Bolivian government launched an International Tender for partnership in the Direct Extraction of Lithium (DLE Project) from the brines of the Uyuni, Coipasa and Pastos Grandes salt flats, through the state-owned company in charge of all lithium matters in Boliv - ia (YLB). YLB chose eight companies to work with and has already signed three Framework

Good Example In opposition, several successful mining projects in Bolivia have had excellent environmental and community relationship management, resulting in a continued lucrative mining operation. The most notable example may be the operation of the San Cristobal mine in Potosí, Bolivia by a subsidiary of the Sumitomo Corporation. The San Cristobal mine ranks as one of the largest deposits of zinc, lead and silver in the world, and its open-pit method of extraction makes it not only unique in Bolivia, but also the largest mining operation in Bolivia. The successful community relations with the communities of San Cristóbal, Culpina K, Vila Vila and Río Grande have per - mitted almost uninterrupted large-scale mining operations over the last 25 years.

3. Climate Change, Energy Transition and Sustainable Development in Mining 3.1 Climate Change Effects

The initiatives adopted by the Bolivian State determine greater control by society regard - ing compliance with environmental protection standards in the development of mining activi - ties. In accordance with the principles estab - lished by the Bolivian “Patriotic Agenda 2025”, in its pillar on “Environmental Sovereignty with Integral Development”, the Bolivian State is implementing policies to ensure the exploitation and industrialisation of minerals in a sustainable manner. The main policies include the right of any person, individual or collective to: • participate in environmental management processes; and • denounce violations of regulations that affect the environment.

CHAMBERS.COM