Brazil and seabed mining

Abstract

Land-based and offshore mining activities are so relevant for its economic development that Brazil has become a world-class producer of oil, natural gas and other minerals such as iron, ore, manganese and bauxite. The Brazilian pre-salt oil exploitation, which started in 2006, is an offshore oil reserve which accounted for 73 percent of Brazilian oil and gas in 2020. The main federal institutions which regulate seabed mining in Brazil are the Ministry of defense, the mining and energy Ministry and the Ministry of environment. Regarding activities beyond national jurisdiction, the Ministry of foreign affairs is also a relevant body for the negotiation of seabed mining rules. The national existing regulation of seabed mining for minerals is outdated and contains many gaps. The oil and gas regulation is more recent and updated. Brazil has implemented the general norms of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea but has not yet updated the national legislation regarding seabed mining.