 Afghanistan
Afghanistan has great mineral development potential specifically pertaining to aluminum, copper, gold, iron ore, molybdenum, silver, and more. Industrial materials, such as sand, gravel, and limestone are also present in the country. Ongoing conflicts and instability have limited development of Afghanistan’s mining sector largely to informal quarries and industrial mineral operations.
What Are We Doing in Afghanistan?
Afghanistan adopted a new mining law in 2018, with accompanying regulations. The government sought to assess if its mineral fiscal regime supported its policy objectives. At the government’s request, the IGF began a policy analysis in late 2020 and finalized a report on the country’s fiscal regime in 2021.
 Angola
Angola has significant diamond reserves with great potential to contribute to its GDP and government revenues.
What Are We Doing in Angola?
Through our partner the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF), Angola requested a training on a wide range of BEPS issues and on specific concerns related to its domestic tax regime for the diamonds sector. We responded to this request in 2020, with aim of familiarizing the government with the issues, specifically officials involved in tax administration and mining.
 Argentina
Mining represents less than 1% of Argentina’s GDP, but more than 5% of its exports, and extractives contribute almost 4% of government revenues (2018).
What Are We Doing in Argentina?
In 2020, Argentina’s Secretariat of Mining requested that the IGF develop financial models for advanced mineral exploration projects to assess their viability. This report was delivered in early 2021, as well as a capacity-building workshop for officials on mining financial modelling. We continue to work with Argentina on financial modelling for Lithium projects. Read about our impact in Argentina.
 Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso is well endowed with minerals, especially gold, but also copper, limestone, manganese, phosphate, and zinc. The country has attracted significant investment in its mining sector over the last decade.Â
What Are We Doing in Burkina Faso?
For years, mining companies in the country have benefitted from tax incentives to optimize their operations and payments to the government. In this context, we delivered a training in 2019 on mining tax incentives. The aim was to familiarize a wide range of policy makers with the issues. It was followed by a four-day, hands-on workshop to review the use of these incentives in the mining sector in Burkina Faso. Â
 Georgia
Mineral products account for a significant part of Georgia’s exports, specifically copper ores and concentrates (15%), ferroalloys (8%), and gold (3%).
What Are We Doing in Georgia?
In early 2021, responding to a request from its mining agency, the IGF delivered an assessment report on Georgia’s laws related to fees on natural resources fees, specifically looking at fees tied to production levels for mining licence holders in the country. Our assessment included a comparative analysis of mining royalty regimes in 52 jurisdictions. We also delivered a capacity-building workshop for officials on mineral royalty design and administration.
 Guatemala
The largest nation in central America by both landmass and population, Guatemala is rich in gold, lead, nickel, silver, and zinc.
What Are We Doing in Guatemala?
We developed a workplan to assess Guatemala’s current mineral royalty regime in 2022, in response to a technical assistance request from the mining ministry). We subsequently submitted recommendations to reform the government’s royalty regime.
 Honduras
Mining employs thousands of people in Honduras, who work in both large and small-scale operations producing base and precious metals.
What Are We Doing in Honduras?
In response to a request for technical assistance, the IGF conducted a workshop for Honduran officials on mineral valuation for taxation purposes. The Secretariat also completed a legal and policy analysis and provided recommendations for reform.
 Jamaica
Jamaica is a resource-rich country with a diverse range of minerals including alumina, bauxite, and limestone. The minerals sector is dominated by bauxite, which is used to make aluminium, and is an important export for Jamaica. The government owns stakes in bauxite and alumina resources.Â
What Are We Doing in Jamaica?
In late 2021, Jamaica’s ministries of finance and mines jointly reached out to IGF to help the government to review the fiscal regime for bauxite extraction. The request followed a 2019 IGF-OECD training workshop in Kingston on the bauxite-alumina value chain. We responded to the government with technical inputs and advice.
 Namibia
The mining industry in Namibia produces a variety of mineral products, including base and precious metals, diamonds, and uranium.
What Are We Doing in Namibia?
In 2021, the IGF provided advice to Namibia’s finance ministry on the impact of the global tax reforms on resource-rich countries. Subsequently, authorities asked the IGF to comprehensively review its tax treaties with a view to how they are affecting activities in the country’s resources sector. This work is scheduled for late 2022.
 Panama
Large-scale mining is relatively new to Panama, but the country hosts significant copper, gold, silver, and molybdenum resources.
What Are We Doing in Panama?
Panama submitted a technical assistance request to IGF pertaining to its monitoring systems for valuing of mineral exports. In 2021, we responded by delivering a training workshop for government officials on this topic. Following the workshop, the IGF provided a legal and policy analysis and recommendations for reform.
 South Africa
As a long-established producer of coal, diamonds, and precious metals, South Africa is home to one of the world’s most advanced mining sectors.
What Are We Doing in South Africa?
In response to a technical assistance request received via our partner, ATAF, we will provide capacity building to the South Africa’s revenue authority in 2022 and 2023. This initiative will cover mineral royalties, ring-fencing, and other aspects of mining tax administration.
 Tanzania
Tanzania is home to both large- and small-scale mining operations that produce diamonds, gold, and tanzanite, among other products.
What Are We Doing in Tanzania?
In December 2021, the IGF and OECD joined other tax experts in contributing to a training workshop for officials with the Tanzania Revenue Authority. The workshop involved taking stock of Tanzania’s extractive sector and identifying opportunities to maximize revenues.