Characterization of environmental mining governance in the Lithium Region

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) invites specialized consulting firms to submit their proposals to carry out a technical-environmental characterization and mapping of mining governance in the provinces of Salta, Catamarca and Jujuy, in the Lithium Region of Argentina.

The main objective is to evaluate regulatory instruments, permits, inspection processes, monitoring mechanisms, mine closure plans and post-mining transition schemes, as well as the articulation between mining and environmental authorities to identify concrete opportunities for institutional strengthening.

1. Technical scope and strategic axes

Permits and environmental management: Characterize the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedures, granting of permits, approval conditions and technical information requirements in each jurisdiction.

Monitoring and oversight: Evaluate the actual application of inspection systems, control of environmental commitments, information reporting, and contingency management.

Mine closure and post-mining transition: Analyze the regulatory and institutional criteria applied or under development for the closure phase and territorial environmental recovery.

Capacities and institutional interconnection: Identify operational bottlenecks, availability of information systems, and the level of coordination between mining, environmental, and other competent authorities.

2. Fieldwork and methodology

Qualitative and territorial survey: Design and carry out semi-structured interviews, work meetings and technical visits in the three provinces with representatives of the public sector, private sector, civil society, academia and local actors.

Systematization of information: Integrate primary and secondary data on administrative records, technical reports, available indicators, and inspection history.

Regional comparative analysis: Contrast the frameworks of Salta, Catamarca and Jujuy to identify provincial good practices, common patterns and operational gaps.

3. Expected deliverables

Deliverable 1 — Initial Report: Detailed work plan, provincial survey strategy, mapping of key actors and initial matrix of environmental instruments and practices.

Deliverable 2 — Progress Report (Provincial): Specific diagnosis for each province (Salta, Catamarca and Jujuy) on the operation of instruments, monitoring mechanisms, available capacities and local recommendations.

Deliverable 3 — Final Comparative Report: Regional comparative analysis that consolidates operational gaps, lessons learned and recommendations to strengthen oversight, information traceability, mine closure and post-mining transition in the Lithium Region.

Note: Interested companies should review the requirements on the BEO Bidder Portal. TheInter-AmericanDevelopmentBank(IDB)invitesspecializedconsultingfirmstosubmittheirproposalstocarryoutatechnical-environmentalcharacterizationandmappingofmininggovernanceintheprovincesofSalta,CatamarcaandJujuy,intheLithiumRegionofArgentina.Themainobjectiveistoevaluateregulatoryinstruments,permits,inspectionprocesses,monitoringmechanisms,mineclosureplansandpost-miningtransitionschemes,aswellasthearticulationbetweenminingandenvironmentalauthoritiestoidentifyconcreteopportunitiesforinstitutionalstrengthening.1.TechnicalscopeandstrategicaxesPermitsandenvironmentalmanagement:CharacterizetheEnvironmentalImpactAssessment(EIA)procedures,grantingofpermits,approvalconditionsandtechnicalinformationrequirementsineachjurisdiction.Monitoringandoversight:Evaluatetheactualapplicationofinspectionsystems,controlofenvironmentalcommitments,informationreporting,andcontingencymanagement.Mineclosureandpost-miningtransition:Analyzetheregulatoryandinstitutionalcriteriaappliedorunderdevelopmentfortheclosurephaseandterritorialenvironmentalrecovery.Capacitiesandinstitutionalinterconnection:Identifyoperationalbottlenecks,availabilityofinformationsystems,andthelevelofcoordinationbetweenmining,environmental,andothercompetentauthorities.2.FieldworkandmethodologyQualitativeandterritorialsurvey:Designandcarryoutsemi-structuredinterviews,workmeetingsandtechnicalvisitsinthethreeprovinceswithrepresentativesofthepublicsector,privatesector,civilsociety,academiaandlocalactors.Systematizationofinformation:Integrateprimaryandsecondarydataonadministrativerecords,technicalreports,availableindicators,andinspectionhistory.Regionalcomparativeanalysis:ContrasttheframeworksofSalta,CatamarcaandJujuytoidentifyprovincialgoodpractices,commonpatternsandoperationalgaps.3.ExpecteddeliverablesDeliverable1—InitialReport:Detailedworkplan,provincialsurveystrategy,mappingofkeyactorsandinitialmatrixofenvironmentalinstrumentsandpractices.Deliverable2—ProgressReport(Provincial):Specificdiagnosisforeachprovince(Salta,CatamarcaandJujuy)ontheoperationofinstruments,monitoringmechanisms,availablecapacitiesandlocalrecommendations.Deliverable3—FinalComparativeReport:Regionalcomparativeanalysisthatconsolidatesoperationalgaps,lessonslearnedandrecommendationstostrengthenoversight,informationtraceability,mineclosureandpost-miningtransitionintheLithiumRegion.Note:InterestedcompaniesshouldreviewtherequirementsontheBEOBidderPortal.

Executing unit: Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)

IDB project: RG-T4442

Contact: mwalter@iadb.org

Financed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).