Mining, Minerals and Metals

UNCTAD Virtual Institute Study Tour University of Dar-es-Salaam

15-26 February 2010Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland

° ° °Alexei Mojarov,

Special Unit on Commodities, UNCTADalexei.mojarov@unctad.org  

Outline of presentation

• The basics.• Minerals and metals trade: an overview• Trading in minerals and metals. • Investment in mining and metals production • Mining and development• Intertnational Policy Issues

1.The basics• A. Definitions• B. Mining and metals production: the basics• B.1 Mining and metals production• B.2 Cost structure of mining and metals

production• B.3 Environmental management• B.4 The concept of finite and non-renewable

resources: will we run out of minerals?• B.5 The long term direction of mineral prices• C. Areas for research

2. Minerals and metals trade: an overview

• A. Supply: The geography of mining and metals production

• B. Demand: Where are minerals and metals used?

• C. International trade flows for minerals and metals

• D. Areas for research

3. Trading minerals and metals• A. Trading and pricing practices

• A.1 A categorization of minerals markets • A.2 Pricing practices• A.3 Price fluctuations• A.4 Price risk management• B. Minerals in the international trading system• B.1Tariffs

B.2 Non-tariff measures B.3Anti-dumping B.4 Restrictions on exports

• C. Areas for research

4. Investment in mining and metals production

• A. Specific characteristics of mining investment• B. Pattern of mining investment• C. Features of mining investment regimes • C.1 The evolution of investment regimes over the

long term • C.2Mining taxation• C.2.1 Royalties• C.2.2 Corporate income tax• C.2.3 Progressive taxes

4. Investment in mining and metals production

• C. Features of mining investment regimes (continued)

• C.2.4 Special taxation incentives• C.2.5 Government equity sharing • C.2.6 Revenue distribution between different

levels of government• C.3 Licensing regimes • C.4 Transparency initiatives • D. Areas for research

5. Mining and development • A. The role of mining in the industrialization process • B. Mining and macro-economic stability • B.1 The resource curse theory • B.1.1 Declining terms of trade• B.1.2 Volatile markets• B.1.3 Dutch disease • B.1.4 Crowding-out effects• B.1.5 Corruption and rent seeking• B.2 Country success cases

5. Mining and development

• C. Mining and poverty• C.1 Mining and local development• C.2 Small scale and artisanal mining• C.3 Mining and indigenous people• D. Areas for research

6. International policy issues• A. Intergovernmental cooperation on stabilization of

minerals markets and export revenues• B. International Law• B.1 Binding, or “hard” international law and “soft” law• B.2 International investment agreements• B.2.1 Investment protection • B.2.2 Performance requirements• B.2.3 Expropriation provisions• B.2.4 Investor-State dispute settlement• B.3 Human rights

6. International policy issues• C. International actors • C.1 Intergovernmental organizations • C.1.1 United Nations system• C.1.2 International financial institutions • C.1.3 The Intergovernmental Forum on Mining,

Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development, (IGF)

• C.2 Business associations• C.4. NGOs• D. Areas for research

alexei.mojarov@unctad.org

•THANK YOU!