Supporting technical reports in mining operations
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This article examines the principal changes incorporated into the Supporting Technical Reports (Informes Técnicos Sustentatorios – ITS) for mining operations approved by the National Environmental Certification Service for Sustainable Investments (SENACE), as well as the gap between statutory and actual assessment timelines. The study adopted a documentary research approach, based on the review of 304 ITS submissions lodged through the
Environmental Certification Single Window (EVA) between 2018 and 2025, together with an analysis of twenty (20) procurement processes associated with the preparation of environmental management instruments.
The findings indicate that, despite a statutory assessment period of 30 working days, the average actual assessment period for ITS applications was 95 calendar days during the 2018–2025 period. In addition, the estimated preparation period was identified as 45 calendar days. The analysis revealed considerable variability in approval timeframes, with fourteen applications exhibiting processing periods ranging from 222 to 539 calendar days.
Notwithstanding this variability, the assessment of 32 ITS approvals in 2025 demonstrated an improvement in process predictability, with a mean and median assessment period of 105 calendar days and a standard deviation of 16.68 days. These findings highlight that actual assessment timeframes consistently exceed the statutory periods established by regulation, which may adversely affect environmental permitting strategies and the scheduling of operational modifications within the mining sector.
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