• Background

• Estrella Resources (Lautem, Baucau)

• Peak Everest Mining (Oecusse, Lautem)

• Beacon Minerals (Baucau, Viqueque)

• Iron Fortune (Baucau, Manatuto, Oecusse)

• Murak Rai Timor (Bobonaro, Covalima, Liquica, Lautem)

• Documents and commentary

• Introdusaun

• Estrella Resources (Lautem, Baucau)

• Peak Everest Mining (Oecusse, Lautem)

• Beacon Minerals (Baucau, Viqueque)

• Iron Fortune (Baucau, Manatuto, Oecusse)

• Murak Rai Timor (Bobonaro, Covalima, Liquica, Lautem)

• Dokumentu no komentáriu sira

Background

Experience shows that effective regulation is essential (although not always sufficient) to reduce damage and protect people's rights. Given the intrinsic non-sustainability of mining activities (which use up non-renewable mineral resources in order to provide cash), it is always challenging to minimize their negative impacts.

Timor-Leste began consulting on legislation to regulate mining in 2013. After many delays, Law no 12/2021 of 30 June (Port. original) was enacted, taking effect at the end of 2021. Details of this process are on a separate web page.

In March 2023, Timor-Leste launched its first licensing round for mineral exploration, offering 49 concession areas totalling more than 2,000 square kilometers, with a map and description of the mineral potential of each of seven zones.

In September, the new IX Constitutional Government enacted six decree-laws for the extractive sector, including creation of a National Mining Authority (ANM), separating these responsibilities from the former ANPM, and re-defining the state-owned mining company as Murak Rai Timor, E.P.

Nine companies passed the eligibility screening, and four received contracts (official dispatches) in November 2023, as detailed below. The following week, the three Australian companies who received concessions "worked to build trust."

Esperiénsia hatudu katak regulamentu ne'ebé efetivu mak esensiál (maske la sufisiente) atu hamenus estragu no proteje ema nia direitu. Haree ba atividade minerais ne'ebé la sustentavel (ne’ebé uza rekursu minerais ne'ebé la renovavel atu fornese osan), sempre dezafiu atu minimiza sira-nia impaktu negativu.

Timor-Leste hahú konsultasaun kona-ba lejizlasaun atu regula minerais iha 2013. Hafoin atrazu barak, Lei n^o 12/2021 30 Juñu (Port.) aprova tiha ona, ne'ebé sei vigora iha tinan 2021 nia rohan. Detallu kona-ba prosesu ne'e iha pájina web ketak ida.

Iha fulan Marsu tinan 2023, Timor-Leste lansa ona ninia lisensiamentu ba dahuluk ba esplorasaun minerál, oferese área konsesaun hamutuk 49 liu kilómetru kuadradu 2,000, ho mapa no deskrisaun kona-ba potensialidade minerál husi kada zona hitu.

Iha fulan Setembru, Governu Konstituisionál foun IX aprova dekretu-lei neen ba setór estrativa, inklui kriasaun Autoridade Nasional Minériu (ANM), haketak responsabilidade hirak-ne'e husi ANPM ida uluk, no defini fila-fali kompañia minerais estadu nian hanesan Murak Rai Timor, E.P.

Kompañia sia pasa ona ezaminasaun elijibilidade, no haat hetan ona kontratu (despaxu ofisiál) iha Novembru 2023, hanesan detalladu iha kraik. Semana tuirmai, kompañia tolu husi Australia ne'ebé simu konsesaun "halo servisu atu hametin konfiansa."

Estrella Resources (Lautem, Baucau)

(Blue areas in map at right)

In March 2024, the Government officially awarded three licences to Estrella Resources, an Australian company, to explore for minerals in more than 500 km² in Lautem municipality. A week later, the company said it had found manganese, which it reiterated repeatedly in paid newspaper articles over the following months.

On 27 June, Estrella and Murak Rai Timor, E.P. created a joint company, with 70% belonging to Estrella and 30% to MRT.

In September 2024, Estrella Resources took over four areas in Baucau Municipality, totalling 194 km², from other companies. At a ceremonial event in Laga, ANM showed this presentation (Tetum).

In October, Estrella gave a presentation to potential investors and issued a report on its activities during the third quarter of 2024.

Estrella Resources (Lautem, Baucau)

(Area azúl iha mapa iha liman karuk)

Iha fulan Marsu 2024, Governu ofisiálmente fó lisensa tolu ba Estrella Resources, kompañia Australianu nian, atu fura minerál sira iha munisípiu Lautem liu 500 km². Semana ida liu tiha, kompañia ne'e dehan katak nia hetan manganés, ne'ebé nia repete iha jornál ne'ebé selu iha fulan hirak tuir mai.

Iha 27 Juñu, Estrella no Murak Rai Timor, E.P. (MRT) kria kompañia konjunta ida, ho 70% pertense ba Estrella no 30% ba MRT.

Iha fulan Setembru 2024, Estrella Resources foti área haat iha Munisipiu Baucau, hamutuk 194 km², husi kompañia sira seluk. Iha serimónia ida iha Laga, ANM hatudu aprezentasaun ida-ne’e. 

Iha fulan Outubru, Estrella halo aprezentasaun ba investidór potensiál sira no fó sai relatóriu ida kona-ba nia atividade sira durante trimestre terseiru tinan 2024.

Iron Fortune (Baucau, Manatuto, Oecusse)

Murak Rai Timor (Bobonaro, Covalima, Liquica, Lautem)

The state-owned company Murak Rai Timor, E.P. (MRT) was re-created by Decree-Law 64/2023 of 6 September, and its new head José Manuel Gonçalves announced its plans.

In May 2024, the ANP licensed MRT to explore for metallic minerals in Bobonaro, Covalima and Liquica. 

On 27 June 2024, Estrella Resources and MRT created a joint company to explore in Lautem, with 70% belonging to Estrella and 30% to MRT.

Documents and commentary (reverse chronological order)

• MPRM Dispatches 43-46 (Port.) awarding mining licenses, 1 Dec 2023

• Decree-Laws 59-64 (Port.), 6 Sep 2023

• Law no 12/2021 (Eng.), 30 June 2021 

Dokumentu no komentáriu sira

• MPRM Despacho sira 43-46 (Port.) fo lisensa mineira sira, 1 Dez 2023

• Dekretu-Lei sira 59-64 (Port.), 6 Set 2023

• Lei no 12/2021 (Port.), 30 Junu 2021