Brazil authorizes mining exploration projects in border areas

The Brazilian government's institutional security cabinet has provided a total of 13 authorizations to companies and individuals to conduct mining exploration in border areas of the country.

The authorizations will permit exploration in Roraima, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul and Paraná states, according to a decree published in the official gazette. 

All 13 exploration projects authorized can be seen here, in Portuguese.

The areas authorized for exploration contain gold, marble, granite, limestone, manganese, iron ore and dolomite and are close to 19 cities that lie on the country's borders with Paraguay, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, Bolivia, Argentina and Uruguay. 

The institutional security cabinet is headed by general Augusto Heleno, who is also executive secretary of the national defense council, an office that advises the president on defense and sovereignty issues. The general is responsible for allowing mining projects in the country's border areas.