Dec 61-2006 Health & Safety Regs (Mining) (Engl)

REPUBLIC OF MOÇAMBIQUE
COUNCIL OF THE MINISTRIES
DECREE Nrº 61/2006, of December 26

TECHNICAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
REGULATION IN
GEOLOGICAL AND MINING ACTIVITIES

TECNHICAL SAFETY AND HEALTH REGULATION IN GEOLOGICAL AND MINING ACTIVITIES
TECHNICAL SAFETY AND HEALTH REGULATION

IN GEOLOGICAL AND MINING ACTIVITIES
ÍNDICE Page
CHAPTER I............................................................................................................................6
PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS AND DEFINITIONS..............................................................6
CHAPTER II...........................................................................................................................7
GENERAL PROVISIONS......................................................................................................7
Exploitation Plan..................................................................................................................7
CHAPTER III........................................................................................................................14
WORKINGS WITH EXPLOSIVES.......................................................................................14
Section I....................................................................................................................................16
Storage and Transportation of Explosive Products....................................................................16
Section II...................................................................................................................................18
Works with Explosives...............................................................................................................18
Round Plan/Blasting Diagram..........................................................................................18
Preparation of the Primers................................................................................................18
Detonators and Detonating/ Cords..................................................................................19
Return of Explosives and Detonators to the Magazine.................................................24
CHAPTER IV.......................................................................................................................28
CIRCULATION AND TRANSPORTATION.........................................................................28
Section I....................................................................................................................................28
Workers.....................................................................................................................................28
Circulation in Emergency Ways.......................................................................................32
Section II...................................................................................................................................32
Equipments, Ore and Materials.................................................................................................32
Regulation and Signalling.................................................................................................32
CHAPTER V........................................................................................................................39
RECONNAISSANCE, EXPLORATION AND EVALUATION OF MINERAL RESOURCES
.............................................................................................................................................39
Section I....................................................................................................................................39
Exploration Works.....................................................................................................................39
Section II...................................................................................................................................40
Exploration Trenches, Shafts and Adits.....................................................................................40
Section III..................................................................................................................................41
Mechanical Drilling.....................................................................................................................41
Protection against Confined Waters................................................................................41
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Signalling of the Works.....................................................................................................44

CHAPTER VI.......................................................................................................................45
SURFACE/OPEN CAST MINING OPERATIONS..............................................................45
Mining Plan.........................................................................................................................45
Section I....................................................................................................................................46
Exploitation/Production..............................................................................................................46
Section II...................................................................................................................................50
Extraction and Haulage ............................................................................................................50
Signalling of the Extraction..............................................................................................51
Works Signalling................................................................................................................53
Section III..................................................................................................................................53
Dimension/Ornamental Stones..................................................................................................53
CHAPTER VII......................................................................................................................56
UNDERGROUND MINING..................................................................................................56
Section I....................................................................................................................................57
Maps and Sections ...................................................................................................................57
Section II...................................................................................................................................59
Shafts........................................................................................................................................59
Tests and Life Time............................................................................................................72
Section III..................................................................................................................................76
Ground Control..........................................................................................................................76
Application Conditions for Backfilling Material..............................................................77
Section IV..................................................................................................................................81
Lighting......................................................................................................................................81
Section V ..................................................................................................................................82
Precaution against Waters Irruption...........................................................................................82
Section VI..................................................................................................................................83
Fire-Damp and Explosive Dusts................................................................................................83
Warning on Grisu and Explosive Dust............................................................................85
Section VII.................................................................................................................................85
Fire Prevention and Extinction...................................................................................................85
Section VIII................................................................................................................................88
Machines and Equipments........................................................................................................88
Section IX..................................................................................................................................90
Ventilation..................................................................................................................................90
Section X...................................................................................................................................98
Underground Crushing..............................................................................................................98
Section XI..................................................................................................................................99
Mine Safety Guarantee..............................................................................................................99
Section XII...............................................................................................................................101
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Lamphouse, Lanterns and Lamps...........................................................................................101

CHAPTER VIII...................................................................................................................103
ARTISANAL MINING........................................................................................................103
CHAPTER IX.....................................................................................................................109
EXPLOITATION OF MINERAL WATER...........................................................................109
Section I..................................................................................................................................109
Exploration, Research and Evaluation.....................................................................................109
Workers Safety.................................................................................................................109
Section II.................................................................................................................................110
Captation and Bottling of Waters.............................................................................................110
Workers Safety.................................................................................................................110
CHAPTER X......................................................................................................................114
INSTALLATIONS, MINERAL PROCESSING AND INDUSTRIAL ANNEXES................114
Section I..................................................................................................................................115
Crushing, Grinding and Milling Installations.............................................................................115
Section II.................................................................................................................................118
Concentration Installations......................................................................................................118
Section III................................................................................................................................120
Industrial Annexes...................................................................................................................120
CHAPTER XI.....................................................................................................................125
HEALTH AND SAFETY....................................................................................................125
Section I..................................................................................................................................125
First Aid...................................................................................................................................125
Section II.................................................................................................................................129
Health and Safety Services......................................................................................................129
Section III................................................................................................................................130
Health and Safety Committees................................................................................................130
Section IV................................................................................................................................132
Section V.................................................................................................................................133
Aptitude and Qualification of the Workers................................................................................133
CHAPTER XII....................................................................................................................134
WORKERS’ PROTECTION...............................................................................................134
Section I..................................................................................................................................139
Preventive Measures...............................................................................................................139
Section II.................................................................................................................................142
Social Installations...................................................................................................................142
Section III................................................................................................................................143
Personal Protective Equipment................................................................................................143
CHAPTER XIII...................................................................................................................146
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MINE CLOSURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.............................................146

CHAPTER XIV...................................................................................................................149
DIVERSE PRECEPTS.......................................................................................................149
Section I..................................................................................................................................149
Discipline of the Mining Activity................................................................................................149
Section II.................................................................................................................................151
Final Dispositions.....................................................................................................................151
Delegation of Powers......................................................................................................151
FINAL NOTE OF THE TRANSLATORS..................................................................................152
ANNEX I: GLOSSARY......................................................................................................153
ANNEXE II – ACCIDENT COMMUNICATION ACCIDENT REPORT FORM..................164
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Versão10a de 6 de April de 2005
CHAPTER I
PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS AND DEFINITIONS
Article 1
Objective
The objective of this Regulation is to define measures that will improve workers’ health
and safety conditions, including the application of measures for the prevention of
accidents, the professional risks and hygiene at work place in the mining sector.
Article 2
Application Extent
1. This Regulation applies for all activities of reconnaissance, exploration,

evaluation and mining of mineral resources.
2. Activities related to reconnaissance, exploration, evaluation and production of oil,

natural gas and hydro-soluble minerals are excluded from the present Regulation.
Article 3
Definitions
The meaning of the terms and the expressions herein used are included in the annexe
I, which is an integrant part of this Regulation.
Regulation Moz 6
CHAPTER II
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Article 4
Exploitation Plan
1. All mining activities in compliance with the Article 5 of the Mining Law and its relevant
regulations are to be conceived, planned, equipped, developed and kept valid for
the best available techniques in safety and hygiene.
2. The exploitation plan consists of mining plan, activities schedule, health and safety
plan, mine closing plan, and environmental management rules, according to Article
38 of the Mining Law, and shall evidence the applicability of the mining methods and
equipment, in the interest of good mining practice, which should lead to minimum
loss of the mineral resources.
3. The mining plan must be updated whenever there are significant changes on the
methods and progress of works, or in the safety and hygiene conditions of the
mining area.
Article 5
Health and Safety Plan
1. All mines must be preceded by a technical safety and health plan, containing the
following information:
a) Evaluation of the risks to which the workers are exposed when performing
their tasks, namely the prevision of fire and explosion sources, the use and
maintenance of the equipment and the specific conditions at work places;
b) Definition and application of the adequate measures in the prevention of

risks, work accidents and professional diseases.
2. The preparation of the health and safety plan must take into account the event of
other activities and the presence of elements already existing on site and at the
surroundings, which direct or indirectly, may danger or restrain the safety of the
work and workers.
3. In the existence of more than one company working simultaneously at the same site,
the technical safety and health plan must identify the company, which will coordinate
the application of the safety measures and health, without exempting the
responsibility of the other companies, in what concerns to its workers and in the
principle of collective responsibility.
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4. The safety and health plan must be revised annually and whenever there are
significant changes, additions or modifications made in the working methods or
working conditions.
5. The safety and health plan must be presented to the competent entities whenever
asked for.
Article 6
Obligations of the Mining Titleholder or Mining Operator
The general obligations of the mining titleholder or mining operator are as follows:
a) Accomplish the dispositions of the present Regulation as well as other applicable

legal and lawful rules, as well as the directives of the competent entities, aiming
at safety and health as well as the protection of the integrity of the mining worker;
b) Plan, build, equip and keep the mining operations in their best technical and
economical conditions using the most appropriate methods and equipments in
accordance with mineral deposit characteristics aiming at assuring the best
recovery of the ore and the protection of the workers at their work place;
c) Adopt the necessary measures, so that correct organization and effective

supervision of the sites occupied by workers is obtained;
d) Organize and keep the individual records of the workers that are active in mining
works, containing:
i) Worker’s identification;
ii) Date of birth;
iii) Admission date;
iv) Nature of activity;
v) Date of the medical examination of admittance and subsequent exams;
vi) Medical certificate of aptitude for the work;
e) Define, in internal regulations, the attributions and duties of the worker in relation
to the prevention of accidents and occupational diseases;
f) Promote the cooperation of all workers, in the prevention of professional risks,

and in the development of conditions for their well-being at work place;
g) Ensure the adequate survey of the health of the workers involved in the activities
covered by the present Regulation;

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h) Attend the health and safety committees, and the safety technicians and officers,
on the matters of their competence;
i) Freely supply the workers, and others, with the personal protective equipment
considered necessary for the work to be done, adapted to the work conditions,
being ensured its hygiene, maintenance and use;
j) Guarantee that first aid services are created and kept in function, and whenever
needed, the medical services;
k) Keep in good hygienic and functioning conditions the sanitary installations

required by law.
Article 7
Workers’ Obligations/Duties
Workers’ obligations/duties are:
a) Follow the internal regulations of the company concerning the professional risks
and the maintenance of hygiene at work places, carrying out the dispositions of
the present Regulation as well as other applicable precepts, and also the
directions given by the entity that leads them;
b) Acquire knowledge about hygiene, first aid and safety at work place, which are
transmitted by the mining titleholder or by the Labour Health and Safety
competent entity in this area;
c) To use properly the provided individual protection equipment, and maintain them
in good conservational conditions;
d) Strictly follow the norms and instructions about safety, in general and
individually, and abstain from any actions that may cause dangerous situations,
such as modifying, displacing, removing, damaging or destroying the safety
devices or any other protection systems;
e) Immediately communicate to the hierarchical superior abnormal situations,

equipment failures or imperfections and the instability of work places, susceptible
of causing accidents;
f) Take care of their personal hygiene, in order to preserve health and also to avoid
the spread of contagious diseases amongst the other workers.
Article 8
Workers’ Rights
1. The workers have the right to:

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a) Abandon their work sites whenever it is verified that a situation or a fact exists,
which may endanger their safety and/or health;
b) Choose their representatives for the purpose of participation in safety and health
organizations;
c) Request inspections and inquiries through the mining titleholder or mining pass
holder to the competent entity or other relevant entities, whenever motives for
preoccupation arise concerning their health and safety;
d) Be informed about the inherent dangers related to the activity they practise and
about the available means at their disposal in assuring their protection, health
and safety;
e) The information concerning their health and safety.
2. The representatives mentioned in paragraph b) of the precedent number have the

right to:
a) Represent the workers in all that concerns safety and health;
b) Participate in the meetings of the safety and health organizations (committees)

constituted by the mining titleholder, the mining pass holder or mining operator;
c) Participate in the inspections and inquiries related to health and safety affairs
that are conducted by the mining titleholder, mining pass holder or mining
operator at the work places;
d) Participate in the preparation and implementation of the technical safety and

health plan;
e) Be informed about the training actions to be conducted by the mining titleholder

and about the special measures to be taken in the case of any risk.
Article 9
Training and Information of the Worker
1. The mining titleholder, mining pass holder or mining operator must grant training to
all workers, as well as refresher actions on health and hygiene at work, especially to
those who are newly admitted for the first time and to those who are transferred
from their working post.
2. The mining titleholder or the mining pass holder must promote the necessary on job
training actions about the correct use and maintenance of the equipments, materials
and work tools, in order to guaranty adequate safety conditions for the work at hand.
3. The workers and their respective representatives have the right to be properly
informed about the measures to be taken concerning technical safety and health at
their work places.

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4. The training and instructions transmission language must be the official one, which
must be also coupled with the predominant language in the mining area.
Article 10
Risks and Emergencies
1. The mining titleholder or mining pass holder must prepare a plan containing a set of
measures, namely the following:
a) In the case of risk of flooding related to the weather conditions, or in the case of
intersected hydrostatic water level the plan must have a pumping system with
enough capacity, and measures to prevent accidents such as evacuation plan
and the energy supply control;
b) In the case of unstable rock formations the plan must contain the type of
timbering, method of application and controlling systems;
c) The scaling method of the working faces, the safety measures and control of this
operation must be part of the program;
d) In areas susceptible to intense thunderstorms the underground or open cast

mining operations, must be protected by lightening-conductors system controls
for electrical charges.
2. In the imminence of serious risk situations for the workers’ life or health, the mining
titleholder or mining operator must immediately communicate this fact to the
“Inspecção Geral dos Recursos Minerais” (Mineral Resources General Inspection),
so that they may determine the immediate suspension of the works directly or
indirectly related to these risks.
3. In case of the suspension of work according to the terms of the previous number, the
restart of activities will require an expressed authorization of the competent entity,
after verifying the applied correct measures for reduction of the serious or imminent
risks as defined by the program referred to in nº.1 of the present article.
Article 11
Accidents
1. The mining titleholder or operator must communicate to the “Inspecção Geral dos
Recursos Minerais” (Mineral Resources General Inspection), the occurrence of any
material incident, namely important collapses, extraction ropes failure, flood, fire,
explosion or other occurrences of identical nature.
2. Without prejudice of the notifications due to the other applicable legislation, the
mining titleholder or mining operator must communicate to “Inspecção Geral dos
Recursos Minerais” (Mineral Resources General Inspection), within 24 hours time,
all accidents which result in death or serious injury of the workers, or, if

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independently, of personnel injuries, resulting in extremely dangerous situations to

the health and safety of the workers.
3. After the occurrence of such situations as referred to in the previous number, all work
shall be suspended if susceptible to destruct or change the traces left at the site,
without prejudice to the assistance to the victims.
4. In the situation of fire, explosion, or in the presence of irrespirable or noxious

atmospheres, the mining titleholder must, immediately, evacuate the workers from
the affected places and communicate these facts in the terms, and within the time
referred to in n.º 2 of the present article.
Article 12
Inquiry
1. The condition of the site where an accident has occurred, which resulted in death or
serious injury of workers, cannot be changed until an inquiry is conducted by the
competent entities, unless for motives of personnel rescue or site safety.
2. The competent entity must indicate, in each case, the conditions to observe when
reinstate the work.
Article 13
Accidents Statistics
1. The mining titleholder, mining pass holder or mining operator must send a monthly
description of the accidents occurred to “Inspecção Geral dos Recursos Minerais”
(Mineral Resources General Inspection), reporting the number of victims with
permanent or partial disability.
2. The information referred to in the previous number must be sent to the competent
entity and in the report’s form which is included as an annex of this Regulation (accident
report’s form as in annex II).

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Article 14
Annual Report
Beyond the required information as in Article 54 of the Mining Law Regulations and for
safety purposes, an annual report must be sent to the competent entity, with the
statistics of accidents, number of fatalities, as well as information related to
occupational diseases.
Article 15
First Aid and Rescue
1. The mining titleholder or mining operator must provide first aid and rescue
services in compliance with chapter XI of this Regulation, about safety and health
organization.
2. The mining titleholder or mining operator must prepare and execute a training
program on rescue and evacuation.
3. The mining titleholder or operator should have available first aid and rescue
equipment ready to function in case of an emergency which must be kept in
accessible places.

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CHAPTER III
WORKINGS WITH EXPLOSIVES
Article 16
Use of Explosives and Black Powder
1. Without prejudice to specific legislation applicable to transporting, storage and use

of explosives, the mining titleholder or mining operator is subject to the rules of the
present Regulation.
2. In mining and quarrying, and other activities covered by the present Regulation, the
use of explosives must be approved according to the applicable legislation.
3. Persons duly authorised under the terms of the applicable legislation should do the
issuing from magazine, transportation, storage, distribution and return of non-used
explosives.
4. The handling and use of explosives can only be done by duly qualified persons.
5. The cartridges of the explosives cannot be cut or broken, except for restricted and
clearly defined uses, casuistically authorised by the technical director.
6. The use of explosives in bulk is permitted when technical/economical circumstances

advise so, and by means of authorisation of the competent entities under the terms
of the applicable legislation.
7. The black powder should only be utilised in the form of cartridges.
Article 17
Opening of Explosives Packages
1. In the opening of packages containing explosives, the operator is only allowed to

use wooden chisels and mass hammers, being the use of other materials subject to
approval, according to the specific legislation.
2. The carton packages, which carry explosives, may be opened with metallic
instruments, but in such case, the opening tool must not touch the metallic clips.
Article18
Frozen or Deteriorated Explosives
1. Gelignite and other explosives, frozen, exuded or deteriorated, cannot be utilised,

nor even go into the working places.
2. The defrosting of explosives must be done outside of the mine workings and out of
the magazine, after special precautions are taken.

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3. Explosive products that are not in perfect conditions must be immediately unutilized
outside of the mine workings, according to the specific legislation.
Article 19
Restrictions on the Use of Explosives
1. It is prohibited:
a) To introduce in the same blasting hole, more than one primer (charged
cartridge), except under special conditions, clearly justified and authorized by the
competent entity;
b) To introduce in the same blasting hole, simultaneously, explosive and black

powder;
c) The handling or even the presence of workers near the explosives, during the
forthcoming or eminence of thunderstorms and lightning.
d) To use of normal electric detonators, within minimum protection distances from

radio and TV stations, cellular phones, telephone lines and high voltage power
lines must respect the relevant legislation.
e) To smoke during the handling of explosive products in the mining operations.
2. For the purpose of the disposed in the paragraph c) of the previous number, the two
wires of an electric detonator must be kept connected one to the other in short-
circuit in the cases of charged holes or in cases where detonators stay out of the
containing packages, aiming at guaranteeing its isolation against induced currents;
3. During the handling of explosives or at any time of its transportation and charging
phases, is not allowed to make fire or use artefacts and equipments that can
produce sparks, fire or the rise of temperature.
4. During the handling of explosives and detonators the use of mobile telephones or
other high frequency communication equipments is not allowed.
Article 20
Training of Operators
Whenever the mining titleholder or mining operator has an intention to use explosives,
he must promote at his own expenses the training of the explosive operators.

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Article 21
Technical Characteristics
1. The explosives to be used during the stoping works or in the opening of other mining
works must be chosen in order to the technical requirements needed.
2. In mining wet working conditions where the water quantity makes it difficult to clean
the blasting holes, the technical director must decide for a water resistant explosives
(i.e. gelamonite (gelignite), water based emulsion, or impervious explosive
cartridges).
Section I
Storage and Transportation of Explosive Products
Article 22
Storage
1. The explosive cartridges, detonating cord and detonators, as well as the firing cord,
must be kept in separate and carefully locked in appropriate magazines used only
for that purpose, until the moment to be used.
2. The explosives must be kept far from fire and any easy corroding and flammable
substances, as well as out of places where blasting may occur, and be protected
from humidity, shocks and electric currents.
3. Whenever consumption is justified, the mining titleholder or mining operator can

apply for the installation of two different magazines for explosives and detonators.
4. The licence for construction and use of explosives and detonators magazines is
governed by specific legislation.
Article 23
Distribution
1. The explosives must be distributed only and directly to the final use working faces
and in the exact quantities needed to perform the referred operations.
2. The explosive products of each category, as much as possible, must be distributed

according to the date of arrival and storage in the magazine.
3. Only the necessary quantity of explosives must be delivered to the explosive

operators for specific activity.

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Article 24
Transportation of Explosives
1. The explosives must be transported, from the magazines to the charging or

preparation places or stoping area, in wooden boxes, or leather, or other resistant
and impermeable bags.
2. Materials that can produce sparks are not allowed in the manufacturing of the
wooden boxes and bags.
3. The explosives boxes and bags must be equipped with safe lockers and suspending
bands.
4. The explosives can alternatively be transported to the charging sites in the original
packages, if the quantity to be used exceeds 50 Kg:
5. In cases where trolleys are used for the transportation of explosives quantities
exceeding 50 Kgs, special rules and procedures must be made and approved by the
competent entity.
6. The detonators must be transported in specific boxes, exclusively committed to this

use.
7. Black powder and explosives, or detonating cords and detonators, must always be
transported separately.
Article 25
Manual Explosives Transportion
1. The workers in charge of the manual transportio of explosives must be informed

about the inherent risks related to the operation.
2. The maximum load allowed for manual transport is fixed at 30 Kg, and must be done
by using the type of devices described in the previous article.
3. Detonators and detonating cord must be transported in specific packages apart from
explosives.
Article 26
Mechanical Explosives Transportion
1. In mechanical transportation of explosives and detonators, those must be

transported in separate vehicles
2. The transportation of explosives and/or detonators in heavy equipments, such as

conveyer belts and dumpers is expressly forbidden.

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Section II
Works with Explosives
Article 27
Round Plan/Blasting Diagram
1. Whenever needed the use of explosives, the technical director must study, plan and
apply a round plan/blasting diagram, adapted to the rock mass characteristics and to
the intended result, namely the area and volume to be blasted and product
characteristics to get off.
2. The round plan must take into account the rock type and structure, the production
capacity, the economy of the processes, the blasting and the local and
environmental conditionings.
3. The round plan must define the drilling pattern, the diameter, inclination, length and
number of holes, the type and quantity of explosive, total and per drillhole, the type
of detonators and respective delay time, global resistance of the circuit and the
tolerance.
4. Protective measures against projections, noise and vibrations, must be defined in

the round plan.
5. In underground mining, apart from the conditions described in the previous

numbers, additional consideration must be taken relating the ventilation plan as well
as with ensuring the fast exhaust of fumes.
6. In underground mining, whenever the existence of gases or explosive dust is

foreseeable, only safety detonators and explosives are allowed, approved by the
competent entity.
Article 28
Drilling
1. In the beginning of drilling, the use of sockets of drilled holes and misfires of the
previous blast is not allowed.
2. The drilling operation must never be done simultaneously along with the charging
operation.
Article 29
Preparation of the Primers
1. The preparation of primers must be done in a proper dedicated site for that effect or,
if not possible, at a sheltered place, well lighted and interdicted to the
presence/circulation of personnel.

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2. In the cases of deficient natural illumination during the preparation of primers (the
introduction of the firing cord in the detonator and the introduction of this one in the
explosive) adequate electric light or a flame-protected lamp must be used.
3. For the purpose of the number 1 of the present article, the site for preparation of the
primers must be well ventilated, free from combustible materials and interdicted to
other person’s presence and circulation.
4. During the preparation of the primers the presence of people not committed to the
operations is not permitted.
Article 30
Detonators and Detonating/ Cords
1. The detonator to be used in an operation must be strong enough to ensure the

detonation of the primer, even in open air.
2. The detonator to be used in explosives of normal sensibility is number #8, whether

electric or pyrotechnical.
3. The detonator to be used with black powder, which can explode by a simple flame,
must be number #6 being interdicted to cause its explosion by other than by a
detonator.
4. The detonators and the detonating cord must be inserted in the explosive only
immediately before its utilization.
5. The detonator must be introduced into the respective cartridge through a hole done
with an appropriate piercer without forcing its penetration.
6. The removal or opening of a detonator, either pyrotechnical or electrical, it is

forbidden.
7. The use of electrical detonators of different makes, even being of the same type
(instantaneous, slow detonator or micro delay), is interdicted in the same blasting
operation.
8. It is also interdicted the combined use of detonators of different type in the same
blasting operation, namely:
a) Electrical and pyrotechnic detonators;
b) Normal electrical detonators and slow electrical detonators;
c) Slow electrical detonators and micro delay electrical detonators.

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Article 31
Fuse/Firing Cord
1. The burning speed of the fuse/firing cord must not exceed 1 meter per minute.
2. The burning speed must be verified whenever a new delivery of firing cord occurs or
whenever its permanence in the magazine is over three months.
3. The firing cord must be cut to square angle and fixed to the detonator with
appropriate pliers for this operation.
4. The firing cord used with black powder or with explosives must have a minimum
length of 5,0 meters and must allow an end with a minimum length of 0,20 meters
remaining out of the hole.
5. It is not permitted to tie up knots with the firing cord.
Article 32
Charging up
1. Before being charged up the drillholes must be cleaned removing the water and
drilling detritus.
2. The drillhole diameter must be larger than the one of the cartridges, which is to be
verified by using a sized charging stick/stemming rod.
3. The cartridges must be inserted in the drillhole and, if necessary, slowly pushed with
the appropriate charging stick/stemming rod avoiding shocks and abrupt
movements.
4. The stemming rod must be wooden made or of other adequate materials, which
cannot produce sparks or electrical discharges when in contact with the inner wall of
the hole.
5. The stemming must be made with water, clay, or non-flammable and exempt of free
silica pulverulent material or other material duly approved by the competent entity,
and which length should not be shorter than 0,20 meters.
6. The primer must always be placed at one of the ends of the charge, top or bottom,
with the detonators’ bottom turned to that end.
7. When bulk explosives, powder or slurry are used, the charging method must ensure
the continuity of the charge in the hole, using, if possible, appropriate charging
equipment.

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8. In wet terrains or aquiferous hydrogeological systems the explosive cartridges must

be made of impermeable material and its blasting must be carried out as soon as
possible.
9. In flooded drillholkes, powder and bulk explosives shall not be used.
10. In flooded ground conditions and if bulk explosives are likely to be used, the slurry
explosives with watery base must be adopted.
Article 33
Electric Connections and Ignition
1. The wire points of the detonators and the fire cable ending points must be kept
together in short-circuit till the moment of connection;
2. The operator of explosives must ensure the possession of the electric starter key
during the charging and connecting phase untill the detonation.
3. The connections between the detonators and the firing cable must be made in such
a way that it guarantees the minimum electrical resistance and must be protected
against contact with the earth and/or other conductors.
4. The firing cable connection to the electric starter can only be made after the
measurement of the resistance of the circuit and its confirmation with the value
foreseen in the round plan.
5. The ignition of the blasting circuit only can be made after the operator of explosive
has verified that all the workers are properly protected, the accesses duly controlled
and having no risks to third parties.
Article 34
Fuse or Pyrotechnic Ignition
1. In fuse/pyrotechnic ignition with firing cord, the way out to be covered by the
explosive operators, after the ignition, must be clean and free of all obstacles that
can provoke falls or cause difficulties in withdrawals or evacuation.
2. When the number of holes per blast is higher than 5, an electric ignition, detonating
cord or firing cord with its appropriate ignition device must be used, not allowing the
number of firings to be superior to 5.
3. The use of the firing cord as a means of an ignition system is forbidden, when:
a) There is a danger of explosions provoked by flammable gases, explosive dust or by

fires.
b) The pathways are difficult or with the risk of falling down;

30th May 2006
c) The ground is too wet and slippery.
4. In underground works the blasting cannot be done before all workers are in a safe
place, outside or at underground, but always outside of the blasting area.
Article 35
Electrical Ignition
1. The electrical ignition must be used on shaft sinking, pit or raise opening and in all
cases where the safety of the workers recommends it.
2. In electric ignition the fire cables and the connections with the detonators must be
conveniently insulated.
3. The fire cable lines must be placed in a way not to be in contact with power lines,
metallic pipes or other electrical conducting materials.
4. Only the explosives operator is authorized to connect the fire lines to the detonators
and this operation only can be performed if the operator has the electric starter key
with him.
5. The connection to the electric starter cannot be done before the control of the
resistance of the circuit with an ohmmeter and with the workers duly sheltered.
6. The explosives operator must carry out, periodically, revisions and verifications of
electric starters and keep the records of these operations.
7. The individual resistance of one detonator only can be controlled with an ohmmeter
homologated by the competent entity.
8. In electrical ignition it is not permitted to blast when the number of holes is higher
than the nominal capacity of the electric starter
Article 36
Nonel System
In blasting, whenever it is intended, significant risk reduction or an improvement on the

performance of the bulk explosives, the nonel system can be used for blasting.
Article 37
Blasting in Surface/Open Cast Mining
1. In open cast/surface mining, before blasting and with the required antecedence,
acoustical and visual signals must be used to efficiently prevent accesses in the
vicinity of working places.

30th May 2006
2. The acoustic signals must signalize the beginning and the end of the operation as
an indication for the signalmen to open or close the traffic and the circulation of
people.
3. Whenever it is necessary to put the signalmen on public roads during the blasting
operation, they must wear adequate clothing that identify the operation and use red
flags with the dimension 0,40 X 0,30 meters and they must have a position at the
passage ways that permits its visibility, at least 150 meters from the site
4. When there are curves that can difficult the visibility, the signalmen must stay in a
position that can be sighted at least at 150 meters.
5. Whenever there are contiguous quarries or other close mining works using
explosives, the respective operators must coordinate the blasting hours and the
position of the signalmen and other workers in charge of the safety.
Article 38
After Blasting Control
1. Before the work is started, the explosives operator must be sure of the absence of
any risk, namely the misfired holes, explosives or detonators dispersed in the
blasted broken rock.
2. After blasting it is forbidden the access of persons in the blasted area before the
explosives operator, responsible for blasting, verifies the safety conditions.
3. The signalmen on duty must keep in their vigilance position and cannot give
permission to the people and vehicles to go until the signal “end of danger” has
been given by the explosives operator
Article 39
Restarting the Work after Blasting
1. In the case where one or more holes have not exploded, the access to the working
face will be interdicted for a period of 5 minutes or 1 hour according to the use of
electric or fuse ignition, respectively.
2. The face must be carefully scaled by skilled people, and, if possible sprinkled with
water to settle down dust and blasting gases.
Article 40
Control of the Misfired Holes
1. Whenever there are misfired holes, after the blasting, those must be marked and
kept under surveillance till they are rendered safe.

30th May 2006
2. When the misfired holes result from pyrotechnical blasting, it is not allowed, to
reinflame the fuse to try its explosion.
3. It is not allowed to remove the explosives and detonators by pulling the electric
wires.
4. The misfired holes must be washed with a water jet to take off the stemming and
then must be detonated with a new primer, except in fiery mines where it is
applicable the disposed in number 6 of the present article.
5. If the situation referred to in the previous number is verified, after the charge and
blasting of the explosive, the loading operation must be carefully done.
6. In fiery mines, a parallel hole to the misfired one must be drilled at a safe distance to
avoid the possible contact, but with sufficient proximity to ensure the sympathy
detonation by effect of the misfired charge.
7. Other procedures can be used if authorized by the competent entities.
Article 41
Marking of Holes
The remaining portion of the holes (sockets) at a stoped face after blasting must be duly
marked and cannot be utilized for deepening/re-drilling and re-use.
Article 42
Return of Explosives and Detonators to the Magazine
After blasting, the explosives operator must organize and promote the return and
devolution to the magazine, of the remaining explosives and detonators not used and
not detonated.
Article 43
Destruction of Explosives
1. Explosives with evidences of damage or exudation, or resulting of misfiring of

charged holes, cannot be re-used in the blasting works, nor even handled by
personnel not qualified for the use of this type of explosives.
2. The explosives and detonators resulting of misfired holes must be removed and
placed in appropriate recipients and stored in an identified place for posterior
destruction.
3. Adequately skilled people must do the removal of the apparently deteriorated

explosives and detonators from the respective magazines.

30th May 2006
4. The destruction of explosives and detonators must be done according to the

precepts of the specific legislation.
Article 44
Protection against Electrical Currents
1. Whenever existing, the possibility of inducted currents at the electric blasting fire
lines, caused by high or very high tension power lines, faulty/defective alternating
current or high frequency installations, only high resistance detonators that cannot
spontaneously detonate can be used.
2. With the purpose of avoiding the induced currents at the fire cables that can provoke
a uncontrolled blast, the fire cables must be placed at a distance not less than 0,5
meters of other metallic conductors and at least at 1 meter of other cables, or
electric devices.
3. For the purpose of the rules of the above numbers, and if it is not possible to use,
without any risk, electric detonators, then, the nonel system or pyrotechnic
detonators with or without detonating cord must be used.
Article 45
Electrical Ignition in Underground Works
1. In underground works, when the electrical ignition is done from surface, the fire
cables must have a cross-section big enough to assure the intensity of the
necessary current for the ignition of all detonators, which cannot have mends and
must stay far off of other conductors.
2. In underground works, the ignition by radiofrequency must be made by means of a

device with sufficient power to assure the blasting.
3. The ignition equipment for underground blasting must have enough capacity for that
purpose, must be protected against moisture and periodically verified, and the
values of the verification registered in the appropriate book.
4. In the presence or if there is an expected threat of a thunderstorm, it is not allowed

to ignite an underground blasting from surface.
5. The ignition of an underground blast from surface can only be done after the exit of
all workers from the mine.
Article 46
Verification of Induced Currents
The blast/firing circuits with induced currents or static electricity, must be controlled at
least every six months and the values must be registered in the appropriate book.

30th May 2006
Article 47
Workings with Fire and/or Explosion Dangers
1. In mine workings, susceptible to fire or explosions risks, the maximum charge per
hole must be fixed in accordance to the technical parameters of the explosive and
after safety tests being carried out.
2. The explosives and detonators to be used in explosive atmospheres must be

recommended by the manufacturer and expressly authorized in compliance with the
applicable legislation in force.
3. In the definition and calculation of the round plan and in the choice and application
of the detonators, safety explosives must be used, assuring an interval of less than
200 milliseconds between the first and the last delay time of the detonators.
4. In the round plan it must be regarded the distance between holes, which cannot be
less than 0,50 meters.
5. Is not allowed to blast uncovered/exposed explosives even if they result from

misfired holes.
Article 48
Use of Explosives in Fiery Mines
1. Before charging the holes, a control of methane and of explosive dusts content,
must be done, at least as far as 20 meters back off the face.
2. The control referred to in the previous number must be repeated immediately before
the ignition.
3. Whenever the methane content is over 1% in volume or the weight of dust is higher
than 5 mg/m3, the blasting is not allowed and the face must be kept under
surveillance and under reinforced ventilation.
4. In underground mines with drifts/galleries driven in counter-attack (converging

mining) and the danger of fire or explosion exists, the control referred to in number 1
must be done in the two working faces.
5. The blasting in long wall stoping faces is only permitted if the control of the methane
in all surrounding area, in a distance of 20 meters, shows a value less than 1% in
volume.
6. In long wall stoping, where the charging of a blasting front is being prepared to be
fired, the face must be carefully sprinkled to suppress the suspended dust to values
not susceptible to cause explosion.
7. Without prejudice of the previous number, it is allowed to blast since the dusts are
previously neutralized with inert powder.

30th May 2006
Article 49
Special Conditions
In duly settled special and conditions, the use of explosive products in different
conditions than the established in the present chapter can be authorized by the
competent entity.

30th May 2006
CHAPTER IV
CIRCULATION AND TRANSPORTATION
Section I
Workers
Article 50
Ways of Circulation
1. The personal ways of circulation, also called man ways, at surface or underground
works, including the emergency access ways must be duly marked with signs and
free of obstacles or waste debris that can reduce the safety conditions.
2. In the case of conjoint circulation ways where it is not possible to define a

passageway for personal (man way), the conditions of utilization must be regulated
for people and for equipments.
3. All access ways, ladders, platforms, equipments and installations used for
circulation and transportation of personal, must warrant safe conditions and be
regularly checked in order to ensure its maintenance safety, preservation and
cleanness conditions.
4. The mining titleholder or mining operator must prepare an internal regulation where
it is stated the periodicity of the inspections referred to in the previous number,
referring:
a) The circuits path and the means of transportation that can be used by the
workers;
b) The maximum number of workers per each of the means of transportation

and the rules for its use;
c) The maximum allowed speed for those means of transportation.
5. The information referred to in paragraphs a) and b) of the previous number must be

clearly displayed in the embarking and disembarking places.
Article 51
Conjoint Circulation
1. The conjoint circulation of people and equipment or materials at the beginning

and end of the shifts is not allowed.

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2. Without prejudice of the disposed in the previous number and where the special
conditions of the ways of circulation permit, the technical director can authorize the
conjoint circulation of workers and materials.
Article 52
Interdicted Circulation
The mining areas interdicted to the circulation of the people and equipments must be
duly marked and solidly fenced.
Article 53
Pedestrian Circulation
1. In drifts with double track and without space for the pedestrian circulation,
persons/workers must use the side facing the opposite traffic.
2. On pathways with slopes greater than 20º special measures must be adopted,
namely:
a) Through the installation of cables or handrails;
b) Construction of solid fences between both pathways of the joint circulation

between workers and equipments, to assure the workers protection.
3. Whenever stairs are used, they must obey to the following requirements:
a) Be of solid construction;
b) Have a minimum width of 0,30 meters;
c) The separation between the steps must not be higher than 0,30 meters;
d) Permit a firm support for the feet;
e) In cases where the treads/steps are made of crossbeams, the distance

between them and the wall must be at least 0,15 meters.
4. Whenever the slope is greater than 45º or in slipping floor, the existence of stairs
separated by platforms at every 30 meters is compulsory.
5. The ascension or the descent in sub vertical stairs must be done facing the stairs.
Article 54
Transportation in Shafts
1. The transportation of people in shafts shall be done using cages or skips, duly
approved by the competent entity.

30th May 2006
2. In the case of shaft opening, maintenance works, or during rescue operations,

other means of transportation can be used, after the technical director has
established the necessary preventive measures to guarantee the maximum safety of
the workers.
Article 55
Circulation in Underground Works
1. The workers circulation in the underground workings must obey to the following
conditions:
a) The parts of the drifts which are used for circulation by groups of 15 or
more workers, at the beginning and the end of shifts, they cannot have
dimensions smaller than 2,20 meters wide and 2,0 meters high;
b) In the case where, at the beginning or at the end of the shifts, equipment
and workers can circulate simultaneously, this operation must be done in an
easy and safe way, if necessary, opening refuge chambers with minimum 6 m2
and spaced at least 30 meters;
c) The distance between the circulating equipment and the wall of the drifts
cannot be less than 0,60 meters;
d) All access ways of circulation must be kept free of any materials that can
cause obstruction or derailment;
e) The mobile equipments must be equipped with bumpers that exceed its
structure by at least 0,20 meters.
2. In specific cases, in compliance with the mine characteristics, the type of circulating
material, the traffic density, and the number of workers, the competent entity can
determinate other circulation conditions.
Article 56
Workers’ Transportation
1. It is not allowed the transportation of the workers in compositions or mechanical

transporters, assigned for minerals or materials, except in special cases duly
authorized by the technical director.
2. Whenever necessary, the transport of workers in trains without the suitable

wagons for this purpose, duly prepared wagonettes can be used, and this must obey
to the following conditions:
a) To be prepared in such a way that can provide a safe and comfortable

transportation;
b) To be equipped with safety coupling;

30th May 2006
c) Have the head protection (FOP’s) mounted in a solid structure.
3. The operator of the transportation equipment is responsible for the complacence

of the provisions presented in the previous numbers.
4. The conditions for transporting workers in dumpers or other similar type of

vehicles used normally in transportation of materials must be foreseen in the internal
regulation.
5. The transportation of workers in not prepared wagonettes is not allowed except:
a) To transport sick or injured workers and patients;
b) When they are used for the transport of workers in charge of maintenance,
examination, tests or measurements, which by its nature needs such equipment
it must be authorized.
6. The workers transportation in the bucket of the loaders is not allowed, except in
the conditions of the previous number.
7. All equipments used in the workers transportation must be verified at the

beginning of each operation.
Article 57
Conveyor Belt Transportation
1. The transportation of workers by means of conveyor belts needs a project

approved by the competent entity and must obey to the following conditions:
a) The belt must be incombustible;
b) The minimum width of the belt must be 90 cm;
c) The maximum speed must be previously authorized by the competent

entity and shall not exceed 2,0 meters per second;
d) End course devices, namely ejectors, automatic electric circuit breakers

and anti-sliding systems must be mounted and kept in operational conditions;
e) A device that cuts the energy to the head motor must be mounted, which
may be put in to action at any place of the conveyor belt by any transported
worker;
f) An intercommunication system must exist at contact points located and

spaced at distances less 100 meters;
g) The dimensions, shape, side protection devices and the position of the
platforms must be included in the approved project.

30th May 2006
2. The embark and disembark of the workers must be processed in the best
conditions of safety, from platforms prepared for that purpose and under the control
of a responsible worker specially appointed by the technical director.
Article 58
Circulation in Emergency Ways
1. The circulation of workers in the emergency pathways must be processed in

accordance with the working plans prepared by the technical director and the
circulating conditions must be included in the Safety and Health Plan.
2. Whenever it is foreseen the existence of inadequate breathing atmosphere, the

workers must use autonomous respiratory equipments placed at easy accessible
points dully marked.
3. The workers must be instructed about the adequate measures to be taken in

case of emergency.
Section II
Equipments, Ore and Materials
Article 59
Regulation and Signalling
The mining titleholder or the mining operator must establish through an internal
regulation, the norms for the circulation, signalling and safety in the geological and
mining works under his responsibility.
Article 60
Stop and start
1. At the end of each shift or when a stop occur during a shift, the operator must
cut the power to the machine and verify whether the braking is correctly made and
the parking brake is pulled up.
2. The restart of the movement can only be done after checking that the
machine is fully operational and the workers in the surroundings are safely
protected.
Article 61
Conditions for Manual Transportation in Drifts/Galleries
For manual transportation, the drifts must be developed at equal resistance profiles,
unless special reasons exhort against, being, in this case, subject to permission by the
competent entity.

30th May 2006
Article 62
Workers’ Safety during the Manual Transportation
1. The workers that push wagons must keep a distance of at least 10 meters
between them in drifts of equal resistance and 25 meters in inclined drifts, except in
the stations and charging, discharging and switching points.
2. The workers in charge of pushing the wagons at low profile drifts must have their
hands protected with appropriate personnel protective equipment.
3. In inclined galleries, the workers cannot put themselves at the front of the
wagons to moderate the speed or abandon them.
4. The workers must carry its own personal lamp, putting it in manner that assure
better illumination of the space before him.
Article 63
Mechanical Transportation on Railways
1. The train engines (locomotives) must be equipped with brakes that can be put in
action by direct intervention of the operator, existing or not, another device to
activate the brakes.
2. The train engines and the other units forming the locomotives, cannot be kept
working or in movement, if any kind of deficiencies are identified.
3. All circulating material that derailed cannot be put in, without taking the
necessary precautions, through braking devices to avoid the ungoverned motion.
4. The last unit of the train must be signalized by a clearly visible red light.
5. Unless in case of manoeuvre, or with the expressed permission of the competent

entity, the locomotives must be always put in front of the train.
6. The number of units in each train must allow a safe stop in the desirable space
according to the specifications of the manufacture.
7. Whenever two or more trains circulate in the same railway and in the same
direction they must keep among them a minimum distance of at least 100 m.
Article 64
Coupling and Uncoupling of Wagons
1. The places where the coupling and uncoupling of wagons is done shall be
horizontal.

30th May 2006
2. Without prejudice of the disposed in the number 1, in exceptional cases where

the coupling and uncoupling of wagons is not processed in a platform, wedges must
be used or other special stopping devices.
3. The coupling and uncoupling of any unit of the train can only be processed when
the composition is immobilized.
4. The internal regulation must contain the dispositions that assure maximum safety
of the coupling and uncoupling operations.
5. Before starting the march, it must be verified if all the elements are correctly
coupled.
6. It is not allowed to couple or uncouple the wagons prior to the train operator or
the winch operators are warned of the manoeuvres to be executed.
Article 65
Locomotives and Other Electric or Diesel Vehicles
1. All vehicles used in underground works must be equipped with one or more
electric headlights controlled by the driver, permitting efficient illumination of at least
60 meters.
2. The diesel vehicles must circulate at a regime speed different from the air speed,
when the displacement is in the same direction. If, by any reason, the ventilation is
interrupted the motor of the vehicle must be immediately stopped.
3. The circulation driveways for the equipment must have installed adequate
signalling to assure safe work. The signs scheme must be object of internal
regulation and must be placed at all points where it is considered necessary.
4. In all exploitations, surface/open cast or underground mining, if possible, it must

have independent circulating pathways for equipment and for people.
Article 66
Refuelling of Diesel Vehicles
1. The refuelling of diesel vehicles must be done in a specific place, properly

ventilated and clean of flammable materials and as much as possible at surface.
2. In the case of refuelling in underground, the fuel must be transported in metallic

drums, cistern-wagons or other appropriate totally tight vehicles equipped with self
supplying or transfer system. The supply equipment must be withdrawn back
immediately after the refuelling.
3. The competent entity can authorize at the request of the mining titleholder, the
installation of fixed cisterns and respective refuelling systems underground, which
must:

30th May 2006
a) Have at least two exit ways;
b) Be ventilated with an airflow, enough for diluting and making harmless the
gases normally produced there, and the polluted flow driven out directly to the
exhaust ventilation shafts or raises;
c) Be equipped with incombustible materials;
d) Have an antisliding floor surrounded by a small wall to retain the

eventually spills of fuel;
e) Have a fire fight system;
f) Be provided with fixed illumination;
g) Have adequate signing that forbids smocking or making fire.
Article 67
Batteries
The batteries of the locomotives only can be recharged or replaced in specially

constructed charging stations, equipped for this purpose, located at a site duly
ventilated and marked and, preferably on surface.
Article 68
Trolley cable
The trolley cable installations must obey the specific norms approved by the competent
entity.
Article 69
Mechanical Transportation on Wheels (Tyres)
1. Vehicles mounted on wheels and used in mining operations, must obey the
general norms imposed on the circulation of these types of vehicles, and must be in
accordance with following conditions:
a) Have a lighting system that permits a good visibility of at least 80 meters

when working underground;
b) Have a double brake system with independent activating system, being

one of them used for blocking the traction;
c) Have an automatic system to stop the machine, if the operator loses

control over the commands (dead man pedal)

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2. The circulation of cargo and transport vehicles must obey to the rules included in
the internal regulation or, in its absence, to the circuits and dispositions imposed by
the technical director.
3. The load of the charging and transport vehicles cannot exceed the nominal
capacity, either the borders of the container or of the bucket.
4. The circuit of the cargo and transport vehicles must be conveniently marked and
the circulation on foot must be interdicted, except for the workers dully authorized
and at the fulfilment of his mission.
Article 70
Fixed Mechanical Conveyors
1. In the installation of the fixed mechanical conveyors

underground, it must be left:
a) Enough free space surrounding the conveyors;
b) Free passage at least 0,60 meters wide between the conveyor and one of the
walls.
2. On the fixed mechanical conveyors an adequate system of

signalization must be installed for the emission of sound warnings to the operator or
controller.
3. The fixed mechanical conveyors shall always have at all length,

devices either automatic or manual that can stop the engine system in the case of
emergency or deficient running.
4. The fixed mechanical conveyors installed in a sloping plane, must

have:
a) A system that impede the return of the motor drum:
b) A system that stop the motor in case of belt sliding;
c) An emergency stop system that can be operated at all lengths of the conveyor;
d) An auto-alignment system or lateral rollers that impede the belt to slide off the structure.
5. The system considered in the precedent number must stop the

conveyor when it arrives at the point of maximum displacement.
6. The mechanical conveyor belts must normally be of the

incombustible type. If they are not an automatic fire fighting system must be
mounted.

30th May 2006
7. It is not allowed the storage or use of combustible materials at a

distance less than 4 meters, in the place where the motors of the mechanical
conveyors are installed.

30th May 2006
Article 71
Inclined / Slope Planes
1. At the sloping planes with mechanical or gravity transport, devices permitting the
exchange of clear and normalized signs between all charging points and the
machinist must exist.
2. The fixed elements of an auto motor plane or winch must be installed with
permanent character and equipped with safety devices that assure its permanent
fixation.
3. It is not allowed, in the loading of chariots or wagons, to exceed the maximum

weight established in the internal regulation and the values must be placed in visible
way at all loading points.
4. The workers circulation at sloping planes during the transport operation is not
allowed, except if adequate measures have been taken.
5. It is not allowed to use chariots or wagons for personal transportation.
6. The transportation of personnel at sloping planes must be authorized by the

competent entity.

30th May 2006
CHAPTER V
RECONNAISSANCE, EXPLORATION AND EVALUATION OF MINERAL

RESOURCES
Article 72
Working Program
The execution of the reconnaissance, exploration and evaluation works must obey to
the prescriptions under the Mining Law and its Regulations.
Section I
Exploration Works
Article 73
Seismic Exploration
1. The explosives used for seismic exploration must obey all the
principles included in the specific regulations for use of explosives.
2. The execution of seismic profiles must take into account and

restrict the presence of strange people in the working area.
3. Whenever earth moving is necessary for the execution of profiles

and accesses, the earth material must be put back in accordance with the
environmental management instruments referred to in the Environmental Regulation
of the Mining Activity and other applicable legislation.
Article 74
Electric Exploration
1. In the execution of profiles or drillings in electric exploration using electric methods,

the possibility of electrocution of animals or strange people on the works must be
prevented.
2. For the purpose of the previous number, the mining titleholder or mining operator,
must:
a) Stick out the profiles with pickets and signing ribbons, put on both sides of
the profile at minimum spacing distance of 20 meters.
b) Before injecting the electric current, signalize acoustically, with a long

sound according to the internal regulation.

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c) To signalize acoustically with 3 short sounds at the end of the work and
move out the sticks.
Section II
Exploration Trenches, Shafts and Adits
Article 75
Methods and Techniques
1. The trenches and shafts of up to 10 meters depth, and the drifts up to 20 meters in
length, must be opened using the adequate technology and with protection against
collapses or sliding.
2. In the drifts and shafts with dimensions larger than those considered in the previous
number, good practice rules for underground works as established in the chapter VII
of this Regulation must be applied.
Article 76
Differentiation of Technologies
1. In the working programs it must be proposed the execution technologies to de used

for:
a) Trenches – depth, width, timbering, earth extraction, deposition of

extracted products, explosives to be used;
b) Shafts – transversal section, depth, timbering, number of workers and

materials circulation, protection against persons and materials falls, products
extraction and use of explosives;
c) Drifts or adits - transversal section, length, people and materials

transportation, ventilation, use of explosives.
2. The shafts and drifts collar must be protected against the fall of surrounding
materials, people and animals and timbered at the length enough to assure the
protection against falling or sliding.
Article 77
Abandonment of the Working Areas
The exploration woks, namely trenches, drifts, adits and pits, must be closed and
protected for future observation or backfilled in accordance with the closure program of
the mined area in compliance with the mining legislation.

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Section III
Mechanical Drilling
Article 78
Working Plan
1. The mechanical drilling plan, without prejudice of the disposed in the article 72 of
the present Regulation, must contain the drilling location and the protection measures
of the existing installations, either at surface or underground.
2. The mechanical drilling that are executed in the areas that were subject of old mine
workings, must be executed with especial measures for the protection of workers and
equipment in order to assure that they will not be affected by any slippage or
subsidence.
Article 79
Protection against Gases
1. Whenever it is predictable the possibility of existence of gas pockets safety

measures must be adopted to minimize the inherent risks.
2. In the mechanical drilling installations it is advised to use equipments driven by

internal combustion engines, and the working places must be localized in such a
way that the possibility of intoxication by the exhaust gases is avoided.
3. The exhaust of internal combustion engines in the mechanical drilling

installations must be localized in such a way that prevents the risk of fires.
Article 80
Protection against Confined Waters
1. Whenever it is predictable the possibility of existence of under pressure confined

waters under pressure, the necessary safety measures in order to minimize the
inherent risks must be anticipated and put in practice, namely the installation of
automatic safety retention valves.
2. The drilling working sites with the risk of water eruption caused by water under
pressure cannot be placed in the area under direct influence of the eruption.
Article 81
Protection against Storms
1. In the case of approaching storms or thunderstorms, the workers must stand

under a shelter or a protected place against floods and lightening.

30th May 2006
2. Whenever a storm approaches and an electric discharge is predictable, to the

tower or drilling masts, all intervention works in the tower or masts, or in its
proximity, must be interdicted.
Article 82
Lighting
1. The counters and all verification and control instruments must be mounted in a
good visible place or have its own light.
2. In the case of night or underground work, the lighting system must assure
enough luminosity that permits the circulation and work without risk to all concerned
drilling area.
Article 83
Work with Suspended Charges
1. When in the work place suspended charges exist, only the workers directly
related to the drilling operation can stay.
2. After the work and whenever it is possible, the suspended charges must be put
on the ground and the chains and ropes eventually under tension must be released.
Article 84
Drilling Masts
1. The drilling masts used in the execution of drillholes, must be calculated having
in account the stability and the predictable static and dynamic charges.
2. When it is not possible to present the calculations referred to in the previous

number, the masts must be submitted to a resistance test with a charge of 1,3 times
the nominal permitted charge.
3. The resistance tests must be made annually and the results of the tests
registered in the appropriate book that must be kept during a period of at least 5
years.
4. The masts higher than 10 meters must be equipped with lightening-rods of

proved efficiency and the top of the drill rod should not pass the top of the tower.
5. Whenever there are maintenance works at drilling towers or masts, a safety belt
must be used by the workers.

30th May 2006
Article 85
Hawser Ropes
1. When the drilling work is done in the vicinity of power lines, the hawser ropes
must be installed, in order to prevent any electric discharge through them.
2. The resistance and the preservation of the hawser cables must be annually
controlled, or less, as defined by the technical director.
3. The results of the hawser cables control must be registered in the appropriate
book, referred to in number 3 of the previous article.
Article 86
Static Charge Control
1. Whenever the predictable static charge is over 10 tonnes the mast must be
equipped with a charge control device.
2. The control system of charges referred to in the previous number, must be

verified by the person responsible at the beginning of each shift and whenever it is
proceeded with the mounting and dismounting of the drilling rods.
Article 87
Ropes and Pulleys
1. The ropes of the drilling equipment must be subject of daily verification and be
replaced if the safety factor is under 2,5.
2. In percussion drilling with cable, its safety factor cannot be lower than 4. The
rope blocks and pulleys mounted on the mast must be equipped with devices
impeding the cable to misalign and coming out of the pulley’s groove.
3. The person in charge for the drilling works must fix the periodicity and the type of
tests for controlling the ropes and connections conditions, and the maintenance of
the drilling equipment.
4. The results of the tests must be registered in the appropriate book.
Article 88
Drilling Casing and Rods
The responsible for the drilling works must define the conditions for the tests,
transportation and storage of drilling pipes and rods.

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Article 89
Injection Pumps
The injection pumps must be equipped with safety devices that can react when the
pressure is bigger that the nominal pump pressure, multiplied by 1,1.
Article 90
Deviation Control and Verifications
1. In all drillholes, convenient and necessary measurements must be made to

assure a correct correlation of the geological data.
2. The drillholes must be followed and supervised by the person in charge of the
drilling works or by an assigned technician for the geological area.
Article 91
Signalling of the Works
During the mechanical drilling works, adequate signs must be installed announcing the
existence of the works, and alerting for the possibility of accidents or risk of accidents,
calling its attention to the compulsory use of the individual protection equipment in all
the area of influence.
Article 92
Abandonment of the drillholes and Drilling Platforms
1. At the end of geological works and if future utilization is not predictable

the holes must be filled up with concrete.
2. The filling up referred to in the previous number must be made in such a

way that there is not reactivity between the filling concrete material and the
intersected geological formations and the drill site, type and cement injection
operations must be conveniently documented and registered in the drilling book.
3. The drilling platforms must be environmentally recovered and integrated

into the landscape according to the approved exploration-closing program.
4. In the case of the drillhole intersects ground water, under pressure, the
drillhole must be marked on a map, cased with steel pipe and top screwed valve for
future control and utilization.

30th May 2006
CHAPTER VI
SURFACE/OPEN CAST MINING OPERATIONS
Article 93
Mining Plan
1. Without prejudice to article 44 of the Mining Law Regulation, the mining working
plan must specify the stoping method, which being by benching, must show:
a) The height and the slope of the working fronts (benches);
b) The banks width;
c) The blasting diagram pattern;
d) The type, dimension, adaptability and situation of the stoping machines,

related to the working front, and its circulation conditions;
e) The driveways and circulation conditions of the machines for the

removal of the products;
f) The pathways and circulation conditions of the workers;
g) The excavation shape during and at the end of the works, which must
take into account the stability of the slopes and faces/benches.
2. Besides the disposed at the previous number, the following must be taken into
account:
a) Geological mapping showing the possibility of producing ornamental

stones/aggregates/ore mineral;
b) Hydrogeological survey showing the groundwater circulation on the rock mass to

be mined out and its relation with the stability of the mining operations;
c) Average size of the medium sized blocks, benches height, slope of faces,
stoping method, blocks and waste evacuation, accesses ways for people and
equipments.

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Section I
Exploitation/Production
Article 94
Slopes Stability
1. The slopes angle in weak cohesion rocks or mineral deposits, according to its
stability, must obey to the following angles:
Slope angle
Rock Stability
Downing work (up-down) Upping work (down-up)
Up to 10m More than 10m Up to 10m More than 10m
Weak consistency
420 400 650 550
(sands, gravel)
Medium consistency
500 450 550 500
(marls, clay)
High consistency (coal,
550 500 700 650
bituminous)
2. The slopes angle in coherent rocks or mineral deposits must obey to the following
angles and heights:
Technology Slope Angle Slope Height
Manual work 600 Up to 3 meters
Mechanical System 900 Up to 0,5 meter over the

maximum height of the
bucket
Drilling and Blasting 700 Up to 20 meters

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Article 95
Overburden – Covering Land/Mould
1. In open cast mining the overburden must be removed to a convenient distance

from the final border of the pit, leaving without land, a band with at least 2,0 meters
width, surrounding and limiting the predictable final edge of the pit.
2. The covering ground material that constitutes the topsoil must be carefully
extracted and stacked in piles that can assure its conservation for future utilization in
the landscape recovering works.
Article 96
Bench Mining in Cohesive Deposits
1. In an open cast working operation the benches must have dimensions that assure
the performing of safely work, in the following conditions:
a) The height of the benches shall not exceed 10 m;
b) Whenever it is pretended to work with a higher bench than the referred to in

previous number, the plan or the alteration of the mining plan, must be submitted
to the competent entity with the justification of the efficiency and safety of the
proposed higher bench;
c) At the bottom of each bench must exist a bank wide enough to allow the
work and the circulation of equipments and workers without danger, not less than
2,0 m wide.
d) Whenever possible, the width of the bank must be enough to keep the
medium slope angle of the pit walls at about 45o.
2. The competent entity can fix, at any moment and case by case, the bench height
and width, the minimum width of the bottom bank of the excavation, the mining advance
direction and the way of access to the pit levels.
3. The restart of the mining works at a bench only is allowed after stripping the loose
rock originated in the previous extraction.
Article 97
Mining of Weak Cohesion Deposits
The mining of clay, sand, gravel or other weak cohesive mineral resources, must obey
to the followed provisions:
a) If it is not bench mining, the face’s profile shall not have a slope higher than 42º;

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b) If it is a bench mining, its horizontal base shall not have, at none of its sections, a
width less than the highest face between the two adjacent benches, and the face
shall not have a gradient bigger that the natural slope angle;
c) If the mining method require the normal presence of workers at the benches
base, its height must be less than 2,0 m.
d) At the base of the slope, a drainage trench shall be prepared.
Article 98
Slopes Verification and Control
1. The access of workers to the work faces is not allowed before the verification of
its stability by the worker in charge of the works or by a skilled worker accredited for
this purpose.
2. Control of the faces registered in the appropriate book must be made at the
beginning of the shift and after long stops.
3. In the case of detection of any risk situation, this fact must be reported to the
technical director, which immediately unleashes the necessary measures for its
control.
Article 99
Slopes Scaling
1. The mining fronts and the walls/slopes, near which the workings are performed,
must be regularly inspected and sounded, by a worker specially designated for this
purpose and scaled whenever suggested on the inspection.
2. The scaling of the faces and walls must be made mainly after the blasting and
before the returning to the work following strong rainfalls or prolonged stoppage.
3. The scaling operations shall be always made from top to bottom and only
entrusted to workers qualified for this purpose.
4. During the scaling operations the necessary measures must be taken, so that
nobody stands, even animals, in the zone where risk of been reached by detached
blocks exist.
5. In high risk conditions the scaling operations must obey to specific norms for this
purpose, approved by competent entity.

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Article 100
Protection against the Infiltration of Waters
1. The exploitation plan must include the necessary measures to assure the
drainage of the waters, either proceeding from the works or from rainfall, to
guarantee the works and equipments safety and workers protection.
2. Drilling holes for controlled drainage must precede the mining works in the areas
where the existence of overpressure or large volumes of water is expected.
Article 101
Safety Areas during Explosives Charging Operations
1. Before any blast charging operation, a protection perimeter to the charging

area must be defined, signalized and declared partly inaccessible till the blasting is
carried out.
2. Any movement of the mobile equipments inside of the perimeter referred to in

previous number must be carefully surveyed and controlled.
Article 102
Undermining
1. It is not allowed the undermining or inverted slopes in the mining works.
2. During the stoping operations using water jet, the workers must stay out of the
areas where the danger of sliding of the material to be taken exists.
3. The stoping operations using water jet and hydraulic transportation must obey to
the hygiene and safety measures appointed by the technical director in the internal
regulation.
Article 103
Protection of Workers against Falls
1. The person responsible for the works must protect and equip the workers against
the risks of being reached by falling blocks, materials, tools or by land sliding.
2. Whenever it is possible the fall of blocks or materials in the working faces, the
workers, equipments and vehicles must be immediately removed to a safe site.
3. In the works with risks of falls, namely in the scaling or cleaning of highly inclined
faces, the workers must use safety belts securely attached to a solid point above
them and upheld tense by other workers or by appropriate devices.

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4. The disposed in the previous number is applied to the workers that execute his
work at more than 4 meters above the bank immediately bellow him in hard rock
conditions, or working in inclined face with more than 45º or 30º in coherent or
slipping materials, respectively.
5. The technical director must define the maintenance, testing, amendment and
fixing conditions, or the installation of the apparatus or devices referred to in the
present article, in the internal regulation.
Article 104
Accesses and Pedestrian Ways
1. The people access to the mining and services installations must be performed in
a safe and controlled manner, and the access to other persons must be interdicted.
2. In open cast mining, one circulation pathway must be maintained in good safety
conditions, connecting the working level to the surface.
3. In circulation ways, adequate protection must exist, in order to avoid that any
pedestrian circulating on it be exposed to the risk of falling on both sides.
4. The circulation ways for equipments must be duly signalized in the terms of the
internal regulation, where it must be indicated the direction of movement, maximum
speed permitted, and the priority at crossings and bifurcations.
Section II
Extraction and Haulage
Article 105
Extraction Equipment
1. The choice of the extraction equipment must be made on the basis of the mining
characteristics, maximum and normal lifting up capacity and on the work’s regime.
2. The admissible maximum load shall be affixed on easily visible place of the
equipment.
3. The extraction equipment only can be used in strict and rigorous observance of the
technical rules and the manufacturer’s instructions.
4. The competent entity can require a liability declaration emitted by one certified
entity, guaranteeing the adaptability of the equipment to the work conditions.

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Article 106
Inspection of the Extraction Equipment
1. The technical director must designate a person or persons technically qualified

to:
a) Daily proceed to the inspection of external parts of the extraction

equipment, namely ropes, pulleys, and safety and fastening devices;
b) Inspect, at least once a month, all the parts of the extraction equipment, or
with them related, that from which might depend the safety of the workers.
2. The result of the inspections referred to in the paragraph b) of the previous

number, must be registered in the appropriate book.
3. The extraction machines cannot be started when any factory or safety faults are
detected on them.
4. The bucket excavators must be removed from the base of the bench at the end
of the shift, during every work interruption presumably long, and during the repair
works. At the stoppages the bucket must be put on the ground floor, in a stable
position
Article 107
Maintenance of the Extraction Equipment
1. For repairing, control, and maintenance of the extraction machines and lifting
equipments, written rules must be elaborated by the technical director, that must be
fixed at all places where these operations are carried out.
2. Any repair that requires the approach or the entry of people in between the
machine components can only be executed after the blockage of the machine and
the verification that it cannot slip or move by inertia and the starter key is in
possession of the responsible person in charge for the operation.
Article 108
Signalling of the Extraction
In open cast mining, where manually controlled extraction equipment is used, the driver
shall execute the operations from signals transmitted by a responsible operator placed
in a position from where he can guarantee the global operation control.
Article 109
Workers Transportation

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1. Without prejudice of the disposed in the chapter IV of this Regulation, the

competent entity, considering the particular conditions of the operation, can impose
the installation of a proper system of transportation of the workers to the working
faces, such as lift or ramp.
2. Except in emergency cases and those established by the technical director, the
workers cannot be transported in the extraction equipment.
Article 110
Safety Conditions for the Loading and Transportation Equipments
1. The loading and transportation equipments must have installed safety cabin, and
a system for the protection of the operator against the fall of materials or tools
(FOP’s) and against crush (ROP’s).
2. Before the loading and transportation equipments start operating, safety

verifications recommended by the constructor or resulting from internal regulation
must be executed by the operator.
Article 111
Workers Protection in Load and Dump Points
1.When proceeding to the ascending or descending of a load by means of the

extraction equipment, the person in charge for the operation must advise all workers
staying in the proximity of the risk area, to move out to a safe place until the danger
passes over.
2.During the loading operation, the bucket of the loader may not pass over the
vehicle.
3.The vehicles for transport and loading must have installed an acoustic warning
sign for rearward movements.
Article 112
Vehicles Load and Dump
1. The loading conditions in vehicles for transportation in the working faces must
consist of the internal regulation.
2. The unloading operation from a vehicle on an ore pile or a waste pile must be
done taking all precautions or adopting the necessary devices.
Article 113

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Works Signalling
During the mining production works the upper limit of the excavation must be
adequately protected by a fence with appropriate characteristics to the site conditions,
and adequate signalling must be installed advertising for the proximity of mining works
and danger of eventual entry.
Section III
Dimension/Ornamental Stones
Article 114
Mining Stoping Operations
1. The dimension stones extraction must be done in safe manner for the workers
and equipments.
2. The use of the helicoidal wire cutter must be preceded of adequate signalling at
the surrounding wire influence area and kept under surveillance during the cutting
operation.
3. The cutting of blocks with the diamond wire must be made with the area duly
signalized and perfectly enclosed with barriers placed far off to avoid the risk injury
of the workers caused by breaking off of the wire.
4. The execution of other work inside the diamond wire influence area is not
allowed.
5. The operation with drill hammers must be made with water injection or efficient
dust captivators.
6. Whenever the worker executes the drilling operation for cut placed over the
block, the stability of both parts to detach must be controlled to avoid the dragging of
the worker.
7. The use of explosives in ornamental stones stoping must be previously

authorized by the competent entity, taking into account the geological characteristics
of the rock mass;
8. The blocks parting operation with manual drilling hammer only can be done
after proper measures to assure safety of the operator are taken.
Article 115
Blocks and Waste Haulage
1. The lifting operation only can be allowed when the machine operator has the
possibility of seeing all manoeuvres, or be helped by a worker that can

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simultaneously see the block and the lifting machine, and visually follow the rising
operation.
2. The removal (transport) of blocks by vertical lifting must be started only after the
correct fastening of the block and the raising signal given by the operation controller.
3. The lifting machines must be solidly fixed, have a cabin for the operator obeying
to the ergonomic principles, have enough capacity for the operation in accordance
with the capacity established by the constructor, which must be affixed on the
equipment at a visible place.
4. The operators of lifting machines must be instructed and trained for the task and
for the responsibility of the other workers safety;
5. It is interdicted the presence of workers, for as long as the lifting operation and
blocks hauling lasts.
6. The operators of lifting and hauling machines cannot stay inside of the cabin
more than 4 hours consecutive.
7. The ropes of the lifting machines must be projected, maintained and replaced in
accordance with the disposed in the articles 152 to 157 of the present Regulation.
8. In the dumper or lorry transportation, the inclination of the access ways cannot
be greater than its traction capacity nor exceed a slope angle of 20%;
9. The loading of the dumpers or lorries must be done so as to avoid its partial fall
or slip in the ramps with higher slope angles;
10. During the loading operation of blocks or waste, the vehicles must be
immobilised with the engine stopped and the operator out of the cabin;
11. In the transportation of blocks with dumpers or lorries, the superposition or

overlapping of blocks is interdicted.
Article 116
Blocks Dump
1. The dumping of blocks on the stockpile or processing installation must be done in

safe manner for the workers, materials and equipments;
2. The dumping operation must be done with the vehicle in the horizontal position and
with the support of auxiliary lifting equipment;
3. During the dumping operation of blocks with the support of lifting equipment, the
driver of the vehicle must be out of the cabin and out of the block’s reach;

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4. The dumping operation shall be directed by a worker that has the possibility of
controlling visually all operations and that can communicate with the lifting machine
operator;
5. In the case of lack of lifting equipment, the blocks must be discharged by tipping it
over an impact absorbing system.

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CHAPTER VII
UNDERGROUND MINING
Article 117
Beginning of Mining
Underground mining should obey to all requisites established in the mining legislation,
namely in the elaboration of working programs, mining plans that shall include the
beginning of production, development, conservation and control, capable in assuring
health protection and physical integrity of the workers, according to the exploitation
plan.
Article 118
Access Ways
1. With exception to cases especially authorised by the competent entity, the work
done in underground mines can only be carried out, except for the exploration and
evaluation works, with the existence of at least two communication ways with the
exterior, connected between them, where the workers can circulate at any time.
2. The entry/exit ways must be provided with devices that allows for the circulation of
the workers and must be protected, against any type or cause of destruction.
3. The accesses to entry/exit ways must be kept clean, exempt from materials that can
impede proper circulation and must be marked with signs.
4. The exits should not lead to the surface, in the same building.
5. In mining installations the exits must be separated by a protection massif (rock

mass) of at least 25 m thick.
6. Except for exceptional cases, duly authorised, the stopes must be secure and have
two accesses that lead to different access ways.
7. In shafts, even the blind shafts, used by the workers, mechanical means for
circulation must be mounted or stairs, in formally authorised by the competent entity.
8. Constructions that cover the entry collar of the shafts must be of incombustible
material, except during the period of its execution.
9. The collar of the shafts and other dangerous inclined workings, on surface or
underground, must be protected with barriers or trapdoors that prevent the fall of
people or material, which should always be kept closed, except for maintenance
services.

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10. Workers performing any kind of operations in shafts or raises, should use safety
belts fixed to solid structures.
11. Once a year, whenever alterations are made on the access ways, training exercises
for the evacuation of people through the underground emergency ways must be
done.
12. The collar of the shaft, which is not in due function, must be conveniently identified
with signs and sealed.
Article 119
Fiery Mines
1. It is considered a fiery mine (also called grisutous mine) when detected

concentrations of methane are equal or higher than 2% in volume, or whenever it is
predicable to occur.
2. Fiery mines are classified by an evaluation committee directed by the competent

entity, in accordance with the table below:
Type of mine M3 of methane /ton. extracted per day

I 0a5
II 5 a 10
III 10 a 15
IV >15
V With significant eruptions and fine dust
3. Mines with low concentrations of methane and with dusts that, once in suspension,
are susceptible in provoking explosions are included in the table above of the
previous number.
Section I
Maps and Sections
Article 120
Surface
1. The mining titleholder or mining operator should maintain an up to dated plan of the
mining area where is reported the following:
a) The workings executed and limits of the area, which could be affected by the
mining;
b) Mining annexes, constructions, ways, buildings, electrical lines, water courses,

lakes and lagoons and, in general, everything that can possibly suffer damages
provoked by the workings or constituting danger to them.

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2. The mining titleholder or mining operator should maintain an up to dated plan of the
mining area with the lithological units, the mineralised area, and the sections
considered necessary, showing the physical characteristics of the geological
formations present in the area.
Article 121
Underground Works
1. In the plans, cross sections and projections of underground works, it should consist
of:
a) Drifts, rooms, shafts, raises and, in general, all underground access ways,
even the abandoned ones, the active stopes, and the exploited (mined out)
areas;
b) Type of formation in which works are performed, including geological

characterisation;
c) Localisation of deposits of explosives, locomotives, fuel and its respective

refuelling stations;
d) Ventilation circuits, indicating the direction and volume of the main and
derivative airflow systems, the location of the ventilators and the distributing and
regulating air devices;
e) The distribution networks of electrical energy, water and compressed air;
f) The designed system of the fixed transport;
g) Localisation of doors and any others constructions destined to the fight

against fires and/or the invasion of water;
h) Any other indications that are considered useful in view of safety.
2. On each floor or level of the mine, in locations accessible to the workers, a plan
must be affixed, accurately indicating:
a) The principal access ways, emergency access ways and exits to the surface;
b) The location of telephones or any other means of communication with the

exterior, as well as fire fighting, first aid and rescue equipments.
Article 122
Plan Scales
1. The minimum scale of drawn parts referred to in the previous articles must be
1:1.000.

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2. Without prejudice to the previous number the competent entity can authorise or
demand different map scales.
Section II
Shafts
Article 123
Control in the Sinking of Shafts
1. In the opening of shafts or its deepening, the technical director should nominate a
technically competent person, that, once a day, proceeds to the shaft inspection, as
well as the timbering, suspending devices, skip and work platforms, pumps and
auxiliary ventilators.
2. The machinery used in the opening and deepening of shafts, as well as other
equipment, namely skips or buckets hooks and counterweights, must be armed with
safety devices foreseen in the present Regulation.
Article 124
Working Platforms
1. The working platforms must be lined with metallic net or distended metal.
2. Metallic safeguards must be installed in the working platforms.
3. The working platforms should provide an anchorage system that allows its fixation to
the walls of the shaft, when at working position.
4. The technical director must dimension the suspension and anchorage of the work
platforms.
Article 125
Working Conditions in the Shafts
1. At the collar of the shaft and in the intermediate levels where charges and
discharges of material are in process, or in the entrance and exit of the workers, the
shaft must be closed by doors, which only subsequently must be opened to allow the
passage of buckets.
2. When the shaft opening is done through risky aquifers systems, apart from the
respective specified techniques to respect, between the work platforms and the
bottom of the shaft, devices that allow the rapid evacuation of the workers must be
installed.
3. The collar, the bottom of the shaft and working platforms, must be duly illuminated.

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4. After blasting or any other occurrence that determines the withdrawal of the workers,
a new descent is not allowed unless the person in charge for the shift has made a
previous inspection of the bottom of the shaft.
Article 126
Signalization on Shafts
1. The bottom of the shaft, the work platforms and intermediate levels, must be
connected with an efficient signalization to surface receipt and to the machine
extraction house, as well as in accordance to international norms.
2. The signals can only be effectuated by the shift foreman or by a person that he
designates.
3. The signalization systems must be daily inspected by the person as referred in

number 1 of article 123 of the present Regulation.
4. The signalization installation must allow sending the signal from the service level to
the machine house.
5. Whenever necessary an emergency signalization cable must be installed all along

the shaft.
Article 127
Person in Charge for the Conduction of the Work
1. On each shift there shall be a person in charge for the conduction of the works in
the bottom of the shaft and for the fulfilment of the general and specific safety norms
to it applied.
2. The person in charge of the conduction of the works must proceed to the general
inspection of the shaft before the descent of his teamwork.
3. The person in charge of the conduction of the works shall be the last one to
leave to the surface and, in the case of consecutive shifts, he must communicate to
his substitutes the conditions in which the work is found.
4. In case of work be performed during a shift, the abovementioned tasks in the

present article, must be exercised by the person in charge for the shift.
Article 128
Buckets
1. Whenever buckets are utilised in the transporting of workers, the buckets must
be fitted with a protection top cap and have a fixed bottom.

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2. The maximum speed of the buckets transporting workers shall not exceed 2
metres per second.
3. In the beginning of an ascent, the buckets must be immobilised at a height that

permits the cleaning of the bottom and its centring.
4. The entrance and exit of workers in the buckets is not permitted before the doors
of the shaft or of the work platforms are closed.
5. The transporting of workers standing up on the edge of the buckets is prohibited;

exception is made to the responsible general in charge of the shaft, who must wear
a safety belt.
6. The simultaneous transporting of workers and materials in the same bucket is

prohibited.
7. In the case of utilisation of two buckets, the transporting of workers is forbidden,

when one of them is in the process of transporting materials.
8. The loading of the skips must be kept at least 0,10 meters below its edges.
9. In the case where objects or materials with a height superior to the bucket, these
must be tied onto the suspension system of the bucket.
10. After unloading, the safety hook position against the turning of the bucket must
be verified and the bucket placed and kept in the closed position.
Article 129
Equipment and Sinking of Shafts
1. Extraction installations must be of solid construction with appropriate resistance

and the respective functioning must be in faultless safety conditions.
2. The lining of shafts must be in concrete, except in cases where the competent
entity, authorises the use of other material.
3. It is permitted the use of wood in the shafts timbering during the period of its
opening, the same being applied to the exploration and research shafts.
4. The shafts must be kept clean, and periodic removals of debris existing in them
must be executed.
5. The surface or seepage water along the walls must be adequately collected and
lead, preventing its free fall in the shaft.
Article 130
Monitoring and Registering
1. The technical director should nominate a responsible person for:

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a) The procedure of daily inspection of the extraction equipment, namely, the

external parts of the extraction machine, ropes, safety and signalling devices,
fastening systems, cages, sheaves and other components;
b) The procedure of weekly examinations of the shaft, including level stations

and receipts, guiders, and its lining and cleanliness situation.
2. The detection of any anomalies must be immediately communicated to the

technical director.
3. Each extraction shaft must have its own register in appropriate book, where the
results of the inspections are written down as referred to in number 1 of the present
article, as well as any anomalies occurred, which must be visited by the technical
director.
4. The register book must remain near the extraction machine for easy
consultation.
Article 131
Stairs in Shafts
1. The shafts must be endowed with a compartment of stairs and landings, for the
effect of repairs and circulation of the workers.
2. The compartments of stairs and of the extraction, respectively, must be isolated

by a thick partitioned, preventing people and/or material to fall.
3. Whenever the landings don’t occupy the entire compartment of the stairs,
protections avoiding any accident must be provided.
4. The installation of the stairs must be made always at the same side of the shaft
compartment and in superposition;
5. The distance between the landings shall not be bigger than 5 meters and the
passages shall permit the workers circulation equipped with the rescue equipment.
6. The stairs must surpass the landings, at least 0,80 meters.
7. In the impossibility of verifying the predicted in the previous number, solid

supports till the landing must be installed.
8. The maximum inclination of the stairs shall be 80º.
9. Is not allowed the simultaneous circulation of more than one person in each flight
of stairs.
10. The stairs and the landings must be kept in good order, cleaned and free of any
materials.

30th May 2006
Article 132
Level Stations
The level stations or receipts must be:
a) Properly illuminated;
b) Painted in light colours or limewhashed;
c) Equipped with doors to impede the fall of people, wagonettes and other
materials;
d) Equipped with a support system for the cage or skip that will start
functioning when reaching the load or unload position.
Article 133
Guides
1. Shafts where cages, skips or buckets are used, guides must be installed with
enough solidness for each case and approved by the competent entity.
2. The guides must be wooden made but, if justified, can be made of steel shaped
I, U or rail type.
3. The competent entity can allow, if duly justified, a rope guide system, and in this
case, a parachute system must be planned and approved by the competent entity.
Article 134
Shaft Bottom Sump
1. The shafts must have a bottom sump, which length cannot be smaller than the
distance between the roof of the cage or skip and the upper shock beams.
2. The sump must have stairs connecting it to the closest upper level station or
receipt.
3. The bottom shaft sumps must have:
a) A stopping device for the cage or skip, installed in an accessible place;
b) An efficient and secure pumping station, installed directly in the sump or in

a subsidiary sump just big enough for this propose, and with an in reserve
working pump;
c) A water level control system, installed to impede the submersion of people

or the equilibrium rope.
Article 135

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Head Frames
1. The head frames must be metallic or concrete with enough resistance to

guarantee a safe operation.
2. The competent entity can authorize the wooden made head frames in small-
scale mining works.
3. The head frames must be periodically cleaned and whenever it is verified the
accumulation of oils, greases or any flammable materials.
4. The head frames must be high enough to allow the mounting of safety systems
to avoid the cage or skip reaching the sheaves.
5. The safety systems must include, behind the self cut off of the extraction
machine power feeder system, shock beams that impedes the progression of the
cage or skip till the sheaves and, in the cases of rigid guides, a blockage system to
avoid the cage or skip fall down in a case of rope rupture.
6. The safety height of the head frame and the safety depth of the bottom sump,
must have the following dimensions:
a) To a speed till 4 meters per second, at least 3 meters;
b) To a speed of 4 to 6 meters per second, at least 6 meters;
c) To a speed of more than 6 meters per second, at least 10 meters.
Article 136
Sheaves
1. The sheaves must have the groove and the estimated diameter based on the
dimensions and own characteristics of the rope.
2. The platforms must be protected and permit the access to the sheaves regarding
its maintenance and surveillance.
Article 137
Hoisting Machinery
1. The hoisting machines should:
a) Be conceived, constructed, and maintained in such a way that the ascent and
descent of the workers be made in an easy, regular and safe manner;
b) Be strongly fixed at a solid base.
2. The hoisting machine wherein one of the drums can be declutched, must have a
sticking device that make it impossible:

30th May 2006
a) To declutch the drum without the brake squeezed;
b) To alleviate the brake without the drum’s clutch device clamped and
blocked.
3. The hoisting machines must have the follow devices:
a) Manoeuvre brake;
b) Safety brake that must actuate directly on the drum;
c) Speed indicator;
d) Position indicator;
e) Luminous and acoustic devices to indicate the beginning of speed

reduction;
f) Course limiting mechanisms mounted in the depth indicator that actuate

on the safety brake when the cage or skip exceed in 0,5 meters the level station
or the receipt level.
Article 138
Drums and Pulley Koepe
1. The winding drums must have lateral brims and in the case of conical drums the
adequate devices to impede the rope sliding or the incorrect winding of the rope.
2. The extremity of the rope must be correctly connected with the drum and this
must contain at least three turns of the rope when the cage or skip is at the lowest
position of its normal course.
3. The drums of Koepe system of hoisting shall have:
a) A calculated and adopted diameter in relation to the dimensions and

composition of the rope;
b) A groove lining with a material that reduces to a minimum technically

admissible sliding.
Article 139
Brake Systems
1. Over the drums or the drum axles, at least two different braking systems must
exist, capable of immobilizing the machine even at the most unfavourable unbalance
conditions, and maintained at good operating conditions.
2. The existence of brakes that act through gears cannot prejudice the disposed in
the previous number.

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3. The brakes must be active automatically in cases of failure of the motive power.

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Article 140
Depth Indicators
1. The hoisting machines must have installed one depth indicator that works
conjoint and automatically with an acoustics signal.
2. The depth indicators must be verified at each adjustment of the cage or skip
circuit and whenever there are any rope alteration.
3. In the main shafts and all others used for workers transportation, a speed
indicator must be mounted, preferentially of recorder type and solidarly installed in
the machine and have plain view of the machinist.
Article 141
Speed Regulator
1. The hoisting machines used for workers transportation with a speed higher than
6 meters per second, must be installed with an automatic speed regulator.
2. The speed regulator and the safety devices shall:
a) To impede that the cage or skip in descent, reach the destination station
level or receipt or the bottom of the shaft level at a speed higher than 1,5 meters
per second, in all cases where the bottom sumps or head frames not obeying to
the present Regulation have been authorized;
b) To impede that the cage or skip in descent, exceed the bottom receipt
level at a speed higher than 4,0 meters per second, when the bottom sump or
the head frame are in accordance with the regulatory rules;
c) To cut off the hoisting machine driving power whenever the cage or skip
exceeds the upper receipt, or the lower receipt levels.
3. The devices referred to in the previous number must be periodically inspected

and the results registered in the appropriate book.
Article 142
Cages and Skips
1. The cages and skips used for workers transportation must be of solid
construction and satisfy to the following conditions:
a) To have enough height to permit the workers to stand up, not being less than
1,80 meters;
b) Have a solid and tight cover, that offers an adequate protection;

30th May 2006
c) Have at each compartment handles or handrail for workers support;
d) Have doors that cannot open itself under the balance effect or abnormal
vibrations of the cage;
e) Have a floor that can resist the impact of normal or unforeseeable stops;
f) Be conceived in such a manner that impedes any accidental contact between the
workers and the structure of the shaft;
g) To possess parachute that must be periodically tested and the results registered
in the appropriate book.
2. The cages must be prepared for the rescue of people in emergency cases.
3. The distance between the cages, the skips and the counterweight and between
those and the shaft walls must be such that the passage be made without danger.
Article 143
Circulation Conditions
1. The cage or skip cannot circulate with workers without the automatic indicators
showing that the speed regulator and the safety devices are in good operation
conditions.
2. If the automatic regulator of the speed and the safety devices are not directly and
permanently connected with the hoisting machine, they must be connected
automatically or by the machinist, whenever it is processed the lifting or lowering of
workers.
3. In workers transport operations the cage or skip cannot move with the doors
open.
4. The workers transportation only can be started after confirmation (by the
machinist) of the signal of people transport.
Article 144
Succour Illumination
At the hoisting machine house, with electric light, an emergency system must be
installed that come into service in the case of interruption of the main illuminating
system.
Article 145
Utilization Conditions
1. The technical director must fix in written, the rules containing the
following:

30th May 2006
a) The technical data of the hoisting equipment;
b) Explanation of working methods and meaning of the service and safety

installations;
c) Signalization regulation and measures to take in accidental failure or stoppage;
d) Procedure of the workers in danger situations;
e) The workers task when occupied in those installations.
2. The cages or skips capacity must be defined in the internal regulation and
affixed in the station levels.
3. The cages or skips cannot be used in the workers transportation without

parachutes or another device with identical function have been installed, which in
duly justified cases can be dispensed by the competent entity.
4. The rope fastening devices to the cages or skips must have a safety
coefficient of at least 10 in respect to maximum static load.
5. Whenever there are used resort chains, its length must be such that in
case of rupture of the central attachment device, the impact is reduced at a
minimum technically permissible.
6. The ropes fastenings must guarantee at least 80% of the nominal rope
resistance.
Article 146
Verifications and Inspections
1. The attach devices must be object of annual inspection, taking into account the
following:
a) The pieces of the attached devices of the ropes to the cages or skips,
including the resort chains, and those of the safety devices, must be
disassembled and examined;
b) Any abnormal wearing, fissures or deformations must be object of

analyses;
c) The elements that cannot be considered in perfect conditions of utilization

must be replaced by other ones with guarantee certificate or submitted to a
quality test.
2. The other components of the cage shall also be object of scrupulous observation
at least once a year.

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3. The results of the tests foreseen in the previous numbers must be recorded in
the book foreseen in the number 3 of the article 130 of the present Regulation.
4. In the case of rupture of the fastening devices, the damaged pieces must be
inspected by the technical director and kept till the examination is done by the
competent entity.
5. The hoisting installations only can start into operation after:
a) It is confirmed that the signalling and safety devices work efficiently;
b) A sufficient number of workers exist prepared for the operation,

maintenance, control and inspection.
6. The results of the inspections foreseen in the previous number must be reported
and a technical report and the conclusions transcribed and registered in the
appropriate book.
Article 147
Ropes
1. The competent entity must approve the rope characteristics.
2. The hoisting or equilibrium ropes only can be used if the enterprise has a
manufacturer certificate showing the following elements:
a) Manufacturer’s name and address;
b) Rope identification;
c) Manufacture date;
d) Rope perimeter;
e) Weight per length unit;
f) Rope’s construction type;
g) Number of strands;
h) Number of wires per strand;
i) Type of core;
j) Commercial maker’s mark of the inner lubricant of the rope;
k) Wires diameter;
l) Results of normalized torsion tests of the wires;

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m) Rupture load of the steel wires;
n) Rope length;
o) Effective rope’s rupture load, determined by a rupture test over a piece of

rope with at least 2,40 meters executed by a certified laboratory.
3. The certificate referred to in the previous number shall be accompanied by the

rupture test report in conformity with the disposed at the paragraph o) of the same
number, having to be sent by the mining titleholder to the competent entity one copy
of each document.
Article 148
Factor of Safety
1. The hoisting, equilibrium and pipe suspension ropes shall have a factor of safety
of at least 6 times the maximum static load.
2. The ropes used during the shafts construction, of suspension movable platforms
and of mechanic loading devices shall have a factor of safe equivalent to 8 times the
maximum static load.
3. The factor of safety for the workers transportation shall be submitted to and be
approved by the competent entity and cannot be smaller than 8 times the maximum
static load.
4. In the case of winding apparatus where it is not permitted the periodic cuts at the
rope fastenings, the factor of safety must be adjusted to the utilization time.
Article 149
Starting the Operation
1. Before the starting in operation for the workers transportation, the ropes must
realize a minimum of twenty transport cycles with the normal hoisting load.
2. Whenever there are cuts on the rope at the fastening device or if this device is
disassembled, the disposed in the previous number is applied.
3. After running into operation the ropes must be object of careful examination to
verify the working conditions, and the rope diameter being measured at least three
equidistant points, the maximum distance among themselves being of 100 meters.
4. The ropes used with buckets must be anti-gyratory type.
Article 150
Conditions of Ropes Utilization

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1. The life of the ropes used for workers transportation must be approved by the
competent entity.
2. It is interdicted the use of spliced ropes.
3. The gyratory ropes only can be used in the workers transportation if expressly
authorized by the competent entity.
Article 151
Verifications
1. The hoisting ropes must be submitted to the following exams made by a

competent person especially designated for the purpose by the technical director:
a) Daily inspection, using a rope speed not higher than 1 meter per second;
b) Monthly inspection with the rope previously cleaned at a speed not higher
than 0,5 meters per second and having as finality the verification of the existence
of reduced or untwisted sections, broken wires or abnormal wearing;
c) If the monthly inspection shows an accentuated evolution of any of the

factors referred to in the previous paragraph the inspection period shall be
reduced.
2. The fastening and fastener devices must be examined when the rope inspection
is made, and be replaced whenever are verified doubts about the safety conditions.
3. In the monthly inspection the fractions where the examination and the
experience show bigger wearing shall be marked.
4. When the hoisting ropes stay out of service for long periods, they can only come
into service after the accomplishment of the disposed at the article 149 of this
Regulation.
5. The examinations referred to in the previous numbers shall be performed with

good illumination conditions.
6. The results of the tests foreseen in this article shall be registered in the
appropriate book.
Article 152
Tests and Life Time
1. When the ropes are used in winding drums it must be proceeded to a bi-annually
the cut of 3,5 meters of the rope, near the fastening to the cage or skip.
2. The cut rope or one part of it must be untwisted and duly examined by a person
designated for the purpose by the technical director.

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3. With the frequency thought necessary, it must be processed, in a certified

laboratory, to the appropriate tests, utilising the rope fractions referred to in the
previous number, as well as on the wires constituting the rope.
4. A copy of the reports referred to in the precedent numbers must be sent to the
competent entity.
5. The ropes used in workers transportation must be changed whenever:
a) One affected section cannot be cut;
b) The factor of safety reaches the value 5;
c) The number of broken wires, in a meter of rope, reaches 12% of the total
number;
d) The rope diameter is reduced in 6% of the initial value;
e) The external wires have lost, by wear, more than 1/3 of initial diameter;
f) The corrosion is well-marked;
g) If it is verified structure distortion of the rope.
6. The ropes used in a Pulley Koepe system must be removed after two years of
service, except if under the information based on non-destructive tests made by a
certified entity for this purpose, the competent entity authorizes the prolongation of
the lifetime. In the report it shall be referred the term to the new examination.
Article 153
Tail Ropes
1. The time of utilization of the tail ropes must be authorized by the competent
entity.
2. The tail ropes characteristics as well as its resistance, shall be determined in

accordance with the working parameters of the hoisting system.
3. The ropes out of service cannot be used as tail ropes, except if they are
submitted to examination made by a certified entity, which certify its aptitude or use.
4. The tail rope must be dimensioned allowing the cage to lift till its uppermost
station level.
5. The loops formation in the tail ropes must be avoided, and respective measures
must be taken.
6. The disposed in the paragraph b) of the number 1 of the article 151, of the
present Regulation relative to verifications, is applied to the tail ropes.

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7. The water level in the bottom shaft sump must be maintained in such a way that
the tail rope doesn’t come in contact with it.

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Article 154
Guide Ropes
1. The guide ropes must be dimensioned, having into account its weight and the
supported tensions, and a factor of safety of 4 must be applied.
2. The guide ropes must be replaced when:
a) The factor of safety is under 4;
b) When it is verified, due to wearing and corrosion, that the diameter of the
external wires is reduced to 30% of the nominal diameter;
c) There are ruptures of the wires in such a way that the ends be salient of
the rope surface.
Article 155
Reserve Ropes
For each hoisting installation where there is transportation of workers, it shall be made
available one reserve rope of each type.
Article 156
Signals
1. In the hoisting installations an efficient and simultaneously acoustic and optic

signalization system must be installed between the underground receipt levels and
the surface receipt level and between these and the hoisting machine house.
2. The transmitted signals shall advise simultaneously the extraction workers, the
signalmen and the hoisting machine operator.
3. The extraction workers and the signalmen must be the sole workers authorized to
transmit the signals, being responsible for its clearness and reliability.
4. In addition to the acoustic and optic signalization systems referred to in the previous
number, the underground and surface shaft station levels and the hoisting machine,
must be interconnected by telephone.
5. In the shafts where more than one hoisting installation is operating, the signals
should have their own characteristics permitting to differentiate the corresponding
signals to each one of the installations.

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Article 157
Stoppage Conditions
1. The hoisting operations must be stopped whenever it is verified any failure in the
signalization system.
2. The entry in a cage or skip to ascend or descent must not be allowed without the
corresponding signal for the circulation of workers be transmitted to the hoisting
house and this accusing the reception by repeating it.
Article 158
Verifications
1. The signalling devices must be inspected at least once a year being the results
registered in the appropriate book.
2. The signalling devices must be inspected after any interruption of the normal
functioning of the equipment and before its restarting.
Article 159
Code of Signals
1. The code of signals must be included in the internal regulation.
2. The affixation of the code of signals is obligatory in all places where they will be
received or emitted.
Section III
Ground Control
Article 160
Surface Infrastructures Protection
1. Whenever the underground works are developed beneath any surface infrastructure
it must be planned duly dimensioned protection massifs.
2. The dimension and localization of the protection massifs must assure that accidents
will not occur, related to earth slipping or collapsing in the underground workings or
affecting the stability of the surface infrastructures.

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Article 161
Principles of Application
1. In underground workings the ground control must be object of planning and

application, having into account the rock mass characteristics, the purpose of the
works, the control method to be applied and the type of structures to protect.
2. Before the entry of the workers, the underground working sites must be adequate
and carefully scaled, the loosen blocks removed and/or effective ground control with
the chosen method.
3. The methods to apply are the following:
a) Filling;
b) Timbering
c) Rock bolting;
d) Guniting (Concrete projecting).
4. The mining titleholder or mining operator has the responsibility of the choice of the
method to apply and shall communicate to the competent entity the reasons of such
option.
Article 162
Backfilling Material Characteristics
1. The backfilling material must be chosen having in account the areas to fill, its
granulometry, porosity and mineralogical constitution.
2. Still, the filling material must:
a) Have no free silica or a reduced content of dust, mainly if dry backfilling is used;
b) Be protected of dust conducing it to the direct exhaust airflow;
c) Be wetted to avoid the dust rising.
Article 163
Application Conditions for Backfilling Material
1. The filling material must be compacted, tightened and fulfil the voids of the mined
out stopes.
2. When the filling is mechanically processed, it must:

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a) Be taken in account the reduction of the dusty production, when selecting

the filling equipment;
b) Be executed by workers using the adequate individual protection

equipment;
c) Be kept the control and the scaling of the hangingwall and sidewalls.
3. If there are other works in the surroundings of the area, these must be isolated using
webs or water curtains.
4. In case of hydraulic backfilling, in addition to the imposed conditions as in the

previous numbers, it should:
a) Be assured one drainage system impeding the waters to accumulate;
b) Be projected barriers and filters for the retention of the filling materials
aiming at assuring the solidity and to avoid, as much as technically possible, the
pollution of the drained waters.
Article 164
Principles of Timbering
1. The mining works shall be protected since its beginning by adequate timbering in
such a way that they can be maintained in safe conditions during the utilization
period.
2. In the areas where the geomechanic conditions justify it, the timbering can be
dispensed, but adequate control must be maintained.
3. In faulted zones, backfilled areas, old workings and, in general, stretches where
the safety conditions are poor, appropriate timbering must be used immediately after
the advance execution.
4. In the imminence of blocks and rock fall the opened works must be immediate
and conveniently scaled or solidly fixed.
Article 165
Conditions of Application
1. The timbering must be tightened to the ground rock mass in order to obtain
convenient charges distribution.
2. Any device used for rock sustaining, namely squares, prop or crosslets, must
always stand firmly in a way to avoiding its sinking, if necessary over a prop or
wooden plank with a contact surface, just enough for it.

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3. Bolts or support cable bolting or other anchoring devices can be used since they
have characteristics adapted to the terrains where they are to be applied.
4. The use of mechanical timbering, namely removable hydraulic supports, must

obey to the internal regulation.
5. Other methods or other materials can be authorized by the competent entity.
Article 166
Timbering Materials
1. The materials to be used in timbering works (wood, metallic or others) shall be of

adequate quality and the connection of pieces, when necessary, must be correctly
executed having into account the effort to be supported.
2. Wood and other materials destined to timbering operations must be permanently

maintained in a deposit in the mine, in compliance with the prevision of the
consumption needs.
3. The type of materials to be used in ground support works shall be chosen by the
technical director according to the protection needed and desired.
Article 167
Special Conditions
1. The timbering replacement and removal works and the clearing up or restoration of
damaged zones, and the workings related to stopes caving must be object of special
safety conditions and executed under the control of a competent person.
2. The safety conditions referred to in the previous number shall be object of careful
examination before the starting of the activity and after any blasting in the
surroundings.
3. Any movement, general or localized, in the rock mass, either in timbered zones or
not, must be immediately communicated to the technical safety responsible and to
the technical director.
Article 168
Sloping Works
1. When the works are developed in sloping ground, the timbering pieces namely
stays, props, frames and piles shall be disposed in such a way that can guarantee
the maximum support, having into account the sloping and the probable movement
of the hangingwalls.
2. When frames are used, a rigid connection between them must be set up.

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Article 169
Rock Bolts
1. The rock bolts must be adapted to the local characteristics where they are to be
applied.
2. The bolts with punctual fixation or of expansive head only can be used if the fixation
point is placed in a rock formation with characteristics that can assure the support of
the tensions to which they will be submitted.
3. In the workings where rock bolts support systems are used, but there are not sound
rock formation for the bolt head fixation, bolts fixed with resins or concrete that
assure the adhesion at all length of the holes shall be used.
4. The ground pression plates must have the adequate dimension and must be firmly
tight.
5. In the rock mass where, by its fracturating systems, it is predictable the fall of
blocks, a metallic net between the support plates of the rock bolts shall be placed.
Article 170
Support Cables/Cable Bolting
1. The support cables must be used in permanent underground installations or in

stopes with low geomechanical quality ground.
2. The support cables/cable bolting placement method shall assure:
a) That the fulfilling between the holes walls and the cable is complete, by use of
the best available technologies;
b) The concrete or resin resistance and harden time be adapted to the rock mass
characteristics.
Article 171
Concrete Shooting (Guniting)
1. The concrete shooting (shootcreting) must be done after the

washing of the walls to assure the adequate rock adherence of the concrete.
2. Whenever the layer of concrete has a thickness higher than 3

centimetres it must be used reinforcement net.
3. The net referred to in the previous number can be a steel net,

steel needles or syntactical fibres.
4. The guniting operation can only be executed by people duly

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formed and trained.
Section IV
Lighting
Article 172
Basic Rules
1. Whenever technically and economically possible, the underground workings

where workers can normally stay must have electric lights thus avoiding shaded
places.
2. To the effects of the disposed in the previous number it shall be lighted:
a) The ways of large circulation;
b) The garages, maintenance workshops, batteries charging stations, and

refuelling places;
c) The shaft receipts or station levels and the unloading places for the mined
out products;
d) The train coupling stations;
e) The main cross ways;
f) The refectories and sanitation annexes;
g) All places where fixed equipments that can be a danger to the workers are
installed.
3. In batteries charging and refuelling stations electric light with anti-explosion

protection must be installed.
Article 173
Individual Lighting
1. It is interdicted the use of nude flame lamp in the coalmines, at the proximity of
easily flammable materials, in the explosives handling areas and where there are
risks of fires.
2. Without prejudice of the disposed in the previous number, in mines where nude
flame lamps are still used, it shall be planned a period of time for its replacement to
be approved by the competent entity.
3. In underground workings, workers must use helmet electric lamps.

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4. The individual lighting means must be furnished to the workers by the mining
titleholder in perfect functioning state and with enough charge for the working
period.
5. In the act of deliver of individual lamps to the workers, they must verify that they
are in perfect functioning conditions.
6. The workers must be permanently equipped with the individual lighting even in
the illuminated places.
7. The workers must take care of the maintenance of its individual lamps, alerting
their superior for any functioning or manufacturing deficiency encountered.
Section V
Precaution against Waters Irruption
Article 174
Localization of Water Points
The useful elements related with the location, extension, and depth of ancient mine
works and the waters accumulated, namely acquiferous systems and spring waters that
can exist in the mine perimeter and surroundings, must be registered in maps, that will
be object of permanent actualization.
Article 175
Mines with Submarine or Sub Aquatic Works
1. In the mines with works in the proximity or beneath the sea, lakes, watercourses
or acquiferous systems of appreciable importance, previous geotechnical and
hydrological studies must be done in order to estimate the behaviour of the rock
mass and the potential for large, dangerous, water flows to occur.
2. In the conditions of the previous number the stoping methods must take into
account the conclusion of the studies carried out with a view to prevent water
irruption.
3. In the places where it is considered necessary watertight doors, dams or other

adequate means with enough resistance to support the waters impact shall be
installed.
Article 176
Approach to Potential Acquiferous Zones
When mine working are oriented towards abandoned works or where it is suspected the

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existence of an acquiferous, on shafts, raises, and drifts, as well as the stopes opening,
preceding and accompanying reconnaissance drillholes must be carried out.
Article 177
Protection Massifs
In the works being developed in the surroundings of large water reservoirs, thick
enough protection massifs must be left between them and the referred works in order to
assure protection.
Section VI
Fire-Damp and Explosive Dusts
Article 178
Special Conditions
1 The mines susceptible of the existence of fire-damp (also called grisu) or

explosive dusts must be equipped with:
a) Adequate safety lamps;
b) Apparatus for detection and measurement of methane

concentration;
c) Methanometers and dust aspiration pumps.
2 The apparatus referred to in the previous number must be maintained in

good functioning condition.
3 The workers in the mines referred to in the previous number shall be

instructed on the safety lamps handling, and on methane and dust detectors.
4 The measurement of the quantity of suspended dust must be done

periodically, and in addition to the weighting, the volatile materials grade must be
estimated.
5 The most current method for the estimation of volatile matters is the
following:
a) Heat 1g of dry dust at a temperature of 500 o ± 10o during 120

minutes and determinate the new weight;
b) The difference in weight will represent the content in volatiles.
6 In the mines susceptible of the existence of fire-damp (grisu) or explosive

dust it is not allowed the entrance of matches or any means that can produce
sparks.

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Article 179
Measures for the Presence of Fire-Damp and Explosive Dusts
1. In the presence of fire-damp (grisu) at a volume percentage by volume higher than

1% of methane or of explosive dust with a value of 10 mg/m3 the person in charge
for the works must interrupt the operations on the affected and potential section of
the mine and order their retreat from the mine.
2. Whenever there are suspended dusts or the possibility of arising of the deposited
dust, this fact must be inhibited with water aspersion or neutralized with inert
powder.
3. The coal proportion in suspended dust after the neutralization with inert powder
shall not be higher than 35%.
4. The inert powder must not have more than 1% of moisture, or free alkalis or free
silica in percentage higher than 5% or 2 mg/m3 and its granulometry must be 80%
under 63 micron.
5. The technical director can authorize the workers re-entry after confirmation of the
absence of any danger.
Article 180
Prevention Measures
1. Whenever fire or explosion due to grisu or dust in suspension is predictable, fire and
explosion retention barriers in the main ways and access drifts to the stoping areas
must be installed and maintained in adequate state.
2. The barriers referred to in the previous number can be made of water or inert dust
and must become active whenever the air pressure increases 10% of its normal
value.
3. The main barriers for fighting the propagation of fire or explosion must be made of a
minimum of 400 kg of inert powder or 300 litres of water per square meter of drift.
4. The auxiliary barriers must have enough capacity to create a water or dust curtain
that impede the explosion or fire propagation, and as an indication a minimum of
100 kg of inert dust or 100 litres of water per square meter of drift can be
considered.
5. The main barriers against fire or explosion propagation shall be erected in straight
drifts and placed in the following places:
a) In the main air fresh ventilation drifts before each distribution knot;
b) In the main exhaust drifts for the used air after the convergence knots.

30th May 2006
6. The auxiliary barriers against the explosion or fire propagation must be erected in
straight drifts and placed in the following positions:
a) Access ways and its parallels in each level after the distribution knot of the
main fresh airflow;
b) In exit ways of the stoping areas and its parallels before the main return flow;
c) In the developing works where there are coal layers.
7. In the mines with risk of explosions, the rising of deposed dust on the footwall or
walls or in the places with minimum activity must be prevented, through the inert
powder, water or salt and water mixture pulverization.
Article 181
Warning on Grisu and Explosive Dust
The occurrence of fire-damp (grisu) or explosive dust must be immediately

communicated to the competent entity that can impose, if necessary, special measures
to be taken for the elimination or reduction to minimal the risk of explosion or
combustion.
Section VII
Fire Prevention and Extinction
Article 182
Organization
1. The mines must have a service of fire prevention and extinction composed by teams
duly trained and adequately equipped.
2. The organization and structure of the service referred to in the previous number
must have into account the mine nature and the number of workers.
3. The prevention and extinction of fire plan for each mine must be duly adapted to the
stoping method and must be kept up to date.
4. The persons in charge for the teams referred to in the number 1 shall inspect the
firefight devices at least every month.
5. The workers of the prevention and firefight teams must be instructed in the use and
maintenance of the equipments and devices destined to this effect.
Article 183
Fire Prohibition

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In underground mines it is forbidden to make fire.
Article 184
Inflammable Materials
1. The quality of inflammable materials and combustibles stored in underground mines

must be the necessary for the normal use only, and its stores must be far away from
the hoisting shafts.
2. In the wood or inflammable materials stores fire extinguishers of non toxic

substance and sufficient for the volume of stored materials must be installed.
3. In the selection of places for the storage of inflammable and combustible materials,
it must be taken into account the possibility of, in the event of fire, remove the gases
or smokes directly to the outside.
Article 185
Mines with High Fire Risk
1. In the mines with auto-combustion risks it is obligatory the installation of

stanching doors for fire insulation.
2. The mines with the fire risk must be endowed with water pipes and inert material
deposits in quantity that permits the immediate and efficient use.
3. When confirmed the existence of high fire risk at the mine, the competent entity
can impose other safety measures.
Article 186
Extinguishers in Underground Works
1. In underground works only the non-toxic extinguishers can be used.
2. The extinguishers must be periodically examined and recharged by the

competent service to assure its good functioning.
3. The workers must be instructed on the practical use of the extinguishers.
4. The extinguishers must be placed in the higher risk points chosen by the
technical director.
5. The extinguishers must be placed in the airflow sense and before the most risk
points.
Article 187
Special Measures

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Special measures for fire fighting and extinction to adopt in each mine, must be
carefully defined in the internal regulation against fires, from which a copy must be sent
to the competent entity.

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Section VIII
Machines and Equipments
Article 188
Conditions of Utilization
1. The machines and equipments used must obey to specific norms included in the
present Regulation and also in force and applicable specific legislation dispositions
in relation to plans, construction, installation, testing and operation.
2. The machines and equipments to be used in underground works must have

guarantee certificate.
Article 189
Safety Conditions and Verification
1. When acquiring machineries and other working equipments, it must be taken into
consideration the risks that they represent to the workers safety and health, namely
the specific risk conditions of the working places.
2. The machines must have installed safety and protection devices against the mobile
pieces.
3. The operator must examine the machines before starting.
4. Skilled people must weekly verify the machines.
5. If one machine is driven by remote transmission and by this reason it represents

danger for the workers that can approach to it, devices that can guarantee the safety
of these workers must be installed not permitting the access at the danger zones.
6. If the machine is driven by remote control, signs or barriers interdicting the workers
access at the operation site must be installed, only being possible to execute
another activity after the machine stopping and be assured that it shall not be
accidentally or inadvertently started.
7. The workers must have written instructions referred to the equipments in operation.
Article 190
Internal Combustion Engines
1. The use of internal combustion engines in underground works is allowed only if

other conditions are not authorized or imposed by the competent entity, since that:
a) The engine be diesel type;

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b) The exhaust be doted of washing scrubbing or catalyzing systems that shall

be maintained in good functioning conditions;
c) Be mounted in mobile equipments.
2. The diesel engines must be used and maintained in such a way that the volumetric
proportion of carbon monoxide in exhaust gases isn’t higher than 1.500 p.p.m.
3. Samples of exhaust pipe gases must be collected whenever it is carried out the
adjustment or repairing of the engine and never at a periodicity longer than three
months. The samples must be taken with the engine at open air and at maximum
power and results be registered in the appropriate book.
4. The engines must be maintained conveniently clean in order to prevent fire risks and
protected against the risk of the workers contact.
Article 191
Compressors
1. Compressors and the respective equipments for conduction and distribution of

compressed air use underground must obey to the specific safety norms, and be
approved by the competent entity and must be periodically inspected and
maintained in good operating conditions in accordance with the manufacturer
instructions.
2. The installation of the material referred to in the previous number must have into
account the environmental air quality that must be kept breathable after passing
through pipes and pneumatic engines.
3. The equipments referred to in the previous numbers must be endowed with a

signalling and stopping automatic system that must activate whenever a
temperature 30o Celsius lesser than the lubricant flash point is reached.
4. Oil which flash point temperature is not indicated, not guaranteed by the
manufacturer, neither recommended for this type of equipment, must be interdicted.
5. The maintenance operations must be registered in the appropriate book or in proper

files for the effect that must be kept at least for 5 years.
Article 192
Other Machines
1. The mobile machines used in the underground works must be equipped with
autonomous electric light and possess a braking system of double circuit
independent one of the other.

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2. In regard to other machines not referred to in the present chapter, whose utilization
is not forbidden, they must obey the purpose of maintenance as disposed in the
number 1 of the previous article.
Section IX
Ventilation
Article 193
General Principles for Ventilation
1. In underground mining, the working fronts must have regular airflow, enough to
maintain the convenient work conditions, avoiding exaggerate rising of the
temperature and diluting dust, smokes and poisonous gases.
2. The introduced airflow in the mine must be free of gases, vapours, and poisonous or
flammable dusts and with oxygen content not less than 19%.
3. The pathways and working fronts non-sufficiently ventilated must be interdicted to

the workers.
4. Shafts, drifts and other ways where the airflow circulate must be maintained in good
repair and easy access at all length.
5. The installation of any compartment in the shafts, drifts, or raises, for the
simultaneous ventilation inflows and out flows is not allowed, except for provisional
character and with the knowledge of the competent entity.
6. The structures used for hangingwall support, splitting the haulage ways from
ventilation ways and isolating the abandoned sectors of the ventilation flow, must be
tightened to avoid the air passage.
7. In fiery mines the methane content must not exceed 1% by volume in the main air
outflow.
Article 194
Ventilation Project
The working plan of any underground mine must include the ventilation project which
demonstrate the feasibility of the mining works execution and the respective salubrity.
Article 195
Ventilation Plan
1. The underground mines must have an updated ventilation general plan containing
the adopted ventilation system, the sense and flow of each air circuit, the location of
the ventilation doors and the places and periods of measurements.

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2. In case of necessity for introduction of significant alterations to the general

ventilation plan referred to in the previous number, such alterations must be duly
authorized by the competent entity.
3. In emergency situations, measures to correct anomalies must be taken by the

person responsible of the works, and immediately informed to the technical director.
Article 196
Air Speed
1. The air speed in the underground works where workers can circulate must not
exceed 8 meters per second neither be less than 0,2 meters per second.
2. With very special exceptions, the airflow speed in the working fronts must be such
that the temperatures on the dry and wet thermometers obey to the conditions
referred to in the numbers 1, 2 and 3 of the article 286 of the present Regulation.
Article 197
Air Characteristics
1. In the working fronts the air renovation must be done in such a way that the oxygen
content never be less than 19% and the verified presence of poisonous gases
should not exceed the values referred to in the article 283 of the present Regulation.
2. The airflow poisoned by gases must be, whenever possible, conducted to the
surface by the shortest way, keeping it carefully out of the ways used by the
workers.
Article 198
Airflow
1. The airflow introduced in the mine must be such that it can be disposed at least 50
litres per second of fresh air per man working in longer shifts.
2. In the mines or mine sectors and quarries with underground works where it is used
diesel equipment, the entry airflow must be the established as in the previous
number increased by 35 litres per second, per horse-power installed.
Article 199
Main Ventilation
1. When natural ventilation is not enough to introduce the minimum fresh airflow in
conformity with the previous number, it must be reinforced by the main ventilators
installed and the flows obtained by this means, whenever it is possible, directed in
the same direction of the natural flow.

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2. The main ventilators must be installed in and easy access places, far a way from
any pollution source and be of exhaust or blowing types according to the direction of
the natural ventilation and exigencies of the installation.
3. The competent entity can demand the installation of main ventilators as well as to
oblige its construction to be made in such a way that, in case of need, allow the fast
inversion of the airflow and be equipped with a recourse power source.
4. The main ventilators must work in continuous regime and be equipped with an
adequate control device system showing the ventilation is running at normal
conditions.
5. If the main ventilators are not object of permanent inspection, whenever is at risk the
workers safety and health, they must be equipped with break alert and self alarm
systems for emergency stops, installed in place under the workers permanent
control.
6. The main ventilators must be periodically inspected in view to guarantee its correct
functioning and the results registered in the appropriate book.
Article 200
Diffused Ventilation
1. Diffused ventilation is interdicted in normal works or where there are risks of

explosion by gases or dust.
2. The air renovation by simple diffusion is only tolerated in “cul de sac” fronts until a
maximum distance of 6 meters and if there is no danger of emanation and
accumulation of poisonous gases or dust concentration.
3. In the stope faces the ventilation must intrude all working places with evidenced
activity.
4. At a “cul de sac” front, the blasting can be permitted whenever resettlement of

ventilation is possible.
Article 201
Secondary Ventilation
1. When the main ventilation doesn’t reach in an efficient manner, one front or one
place where people normally stay, secondary ventilation shall be used.
2. Secondary ventilation can be blowing or exhausting type, depending on the method

approved by the technical director and work conditions of the place to ventilate.
3. Whenever gases emanation or methane can occur in faces with forced ventilation,
thus the exhausting system must be adopted, being the aspired gases directed to
the exhaust flow.

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4. The air entry in blowing secondary ventilation shall be placed at the main airflow or
at a fresh air branch.
Article 202
Ventilation System Stoppage
1. Any unexpected stoppage of the main ventilation system shall immediately be

communicated to the person responsible for the operations, who must immediately
take the necessary measures to guarantee the workers safety.
2. Being possible the environment deterioration beyond the admissible values, the
underground workers must leave the underground workings and the activities and,
only resumed after being verified by the person responsible for the works that the air
renovation was re-established and the working place atmosphere is in good
condition.
3. It is interdicted any blasting or any type of explosion making during the ventilation
stoppage.
Article 203
Ventilators Protection
1. The ventilators must have a control system that permits to alert for untimely stops.
2. The alert signal of a stoppage or breakdown of one ventilator must be transmitted to

a place where workers are permanently due, being disconnected only after the
reception of acknowledgement signal.
3. At the alert signal of a ventilator stoppage correcting action must start immediately
by intervening at the airflow system to assure the ventilation of the area of influence
or by evacuating of the workers and repairing the ventilator.
Article 204
“Cul de Sac” Ventilation
1. The “cul de sac” works can only be made if the secondary ventilation is effective and
efficient.
2. Before starting any work in “cul de sac” fronts the person responsible for the works
must verify:
a) The presence and content of noxious or combustible gases;
b) The working conditions of the conduits at insufflating or aspiring airflow;
c) The presence of combustible or siliceous dust;
d) The ventilation capacity;

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e) The state of the ventilator that assure the local air renovation.
3. In the case of blowing ventilation in the “cul de sac” fronts it must be assured that
the returning flow is sent directly to the exhaust ventilation airflow system that
cannot pass through areas where the workers are.
Article 205
Ventilation and Emergency Doors
1. The works must be planned at reducing to a minimum the number of ventilation

doors used to direct or divide the airflows or to combat the possible water or gas
emergencies.
2. In more frequented drifts where connection between the main ways of air entry and
exhaust can be established, at the places where the opening of one door can cause
notorious disturbance in the ventilation system, it shall be used multiple ventilation
doors properly spaced must be used.
3. When multiple ventilation doors are used necessary provision must be taken to keep
at least one of the doors shut.
4. The ventilation doors must shut automatically.
5. The emergency doors that are normally kept opened must not be shut
intempestively, having for this a safety system.
6. The doors not in service neither for emergency must be removed.
7. The doors can be replaced by ventilation curtains in places where by working

reasons they must not be installed.
8. For the disposed in the previous number, the ventilation curtains must be installed in
sufficient quantity ensuring that one of them stays always shut during the transport
operations.
9. The ventilation curtains must be sufficiently resistant for the demanded work
conditions and be made of incombustible material.
10. The doors isolating the main drifts for the entry and exhaust of air must be
constructed in non-susceptible material to the destruction by fires or blasting.
Article 206
Ventilation Maintenance System
1. In active underground mines, the main ventilation can only be stopped for
maintenance and resumed immediately after this operation.

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2. During the ventilation stoppage, independently of the natural ventilation, the

presence of the workers in the underground works is interdicted.
Article 207
Protection Against Ventilation Deficiency
1. The workers engaged in underground works must carry an auxiliary breath

apparatus in perfect functioning condition.
2. The mining titleholder is responsible for furnishing and maintaining the auxiliary
breath apparatus.
3. The auxiliary breath apparatus must be supplied to the workers at the same time as
the individual lighting lamp, both being intransmissible and of personnel use.
Article 208
Abandoned Areas
Abandoned areas where it is unpredictable the reactivation of the mining workings must
be duly closed in compliance with the mine closing programme.
Article 209
Air Control
1. The ventilation must be controlled at regular periods and the following verified:
a) The blowing and exhaustion ventilation flows of the main draught;
b) The content in gases (NO, NO2, SO2, CO, NH4, CH4 and O2) the
temperature, the moisture and the dusts of the main exhaust flow;
c) The CO content, in the main exhaust flow, at the end of each shift.
2. The environment quality inside the mine must be controlled by automatic apparatus
for measurement of poisonous and explosive gases, placed at previously chosen
points by the technical director.
3. In the fiery mines, apart from the verification with the fixed apparatus, the person
responsible for the works must proceed to the measurement of the methane content
and of the in suspension dust, at least once a shift, and the results must be
registered in the appropriate book.
4. To assure the correct control of the underground works, a sufficient quantity of

gases measurement and dust determination apparatus must be installed.
5. The measurements and control of air must be done by the worker in charge
indicated by the technical director.

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6. The control apparatus verification and repairs must be registered in the appropriate
book which must be kept for at least 5 years.
Article 210
Air Analyses
1. The collected dust samples must be analysed for carbon weight and content
determination, volatile matter and ashes.
2. The manual measurement apparatus as well as those of gases and dust control
must be verified by the person in charge for the apparatus maintenance, previously
named by the technical director.
Article 211
Additional Ventilation Measures for Fiery Mines
1. The main ventilators at the fiery mines must be of aspiring type, to assure that the
mine will work in depression.
2. The stoping panels shall be planned, prepared and executed in a way to be crossed,
from the beginning, by fresh airflow.
3. If any other solution is practicable and the stoping panels deserve serial ventilation,
the entry flow must not have a methane grade higher than 0,5% by volume.
4. The diffusion ventilation in fiery mines is only permitted in development works or

temporary works in the terms of the number 2 of the article 200, once the methane
concentration is less that 0,5 % by volume.
Article 212
Working Fronts Inspection in Fiery Mines
1. The mining or development work places must be controlled by the person

responsible for the works before the workers entrance, at the beginning of the shift,
and after any interruption that obliges the workers evacuation or after a stoppage of
the main ventilation.
2. The inspections that must be reported in the daily report must refer to:
a) The local safety;
b) The existence of methane gas and its concentrations;
c) The temperature, moisture and dust conditions;
d) The general ventilation operational condition.

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3. If the work condition inspection doesn’t allow the workers to remain in the work
places, the necessary actions to correct the situation must be taken, reporting the
facts to the technical director.
Article 213
Ventilation Circuits in Fiery Mines
1. In the main sectors, and in well visible and easy access places, maps of the area
with the information of the airflow direction and foreseen speed that circulate in it
must be displayed, as well as the gases and dust measurement fixed instruments’
location.
2. In the main return air circulation drifts, the entry of shafts or at the raises of exhaust
flow, if possible, fixed measurement and control instruments for CH4, SO2, CO and
dust must be installed.
3. The person responsible for the works must verify, at least once a shift, the fixed
equipments efficiency, being the values obtained and moment in time registered in
the appropriate book, which must be kept by the technical director.
Article 214
Limit Concentration Values in Fiery Mines
1. Whenever in any working place the presence of methane gas at a concentration

equal or higher than 1 % by volume is verified, the person responsible for the works
must take the necessary provision to immediately activate the ventilation.
2. Whenever methane concentration exceed 2,0% by volume, the works must be

suspended, except those considered necessary to the elimination of the danger and
the workers must be conducted to a safety place.
3. If applied measures don’t reduce the methane concentration to values lesser than
1,0 %, the electric installations must be disconnected, except the ventilators affected
to the area, and the necessary and sufficient measures to stop workers’ access to
dangerous areas must be taken.
4. During the days off, an inspection service for each shift must be organized, to do the
control of methane and suspension dust, whose values must be registered in the
appropriate book.
5. The measuring points are fixed by the technical director and located at the plan
referred to in number 1 of article 213 of this Regulation.

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Article 215
Electromechanical Equipments in Fiery Mines
1. Without prejudice to the disposed to in specific legislation, the electrical installations,

including apparatus and systems of control, for fiery mines, must obey at a project
approved by the competent entities.
2. The construction of the installations referred to in the previous number must be done
by skilled people and under the technical director supervision.
3. The electrical instruments used in fiery underground mine works, must be of

armoured type and protected against fire and explosions, and must be mounted in
accordance with the manufacturer specifications.
4. The diesel powered machines, designed for fiery mines must have a manufacturer’s
guarantee as they have the intrinsic protection characteristics for explosive
atmosphere.
Section X
Underground Crushing
Article 216
Principles of Application
vii) Whenever the ore or waste extraction transportation is processed using

skip or conveyor belt, the ore must be crushed till a maximum
granulometry of 200 millimetres.
viii) The operation referred to in the previous number must be made using a
jaw crusher or gyratory cone crusher dimensioned to the maximum
granulometry resulting from the blasting and to the capacity to reduce
the crushed granulometry to less than 200 millimetres.
Article 217
Crushing Room and Feeding
1. The hangingwall and sidewalls of the crushing unit installation room must be
timbered and continuously monitored.
2. The excavation for crushing equipment erection referred to in the previous article
must have sufficient dimension to install the feeding system of the ore/ waste
transported from the working fronts, plus the crusher and skip or conveyor feeding
systems.

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3. The ore/waste chute must be protected with a grate and a balustrade that can
impede the workers to fall down.
4. The feeder must be of solid construction that assures the continuous and adjustable
feed to the crusher room.
5. The operations referred to in the previous numbers must always be under the
control of a skilled worker that must have knowledge of the safety measures.
6. The crusher must be supported by a solid massif and must have a vibration
absorber system and a dust captivator or water sprayer/sprinkler.
7. The skip or conveyor feeder must be projected and installed with a debit (flow)
control system that can assure the load of the skip within the recommended loading
limits and assuring a regular and controlled weighted feed to the conveyor belt.
8. The skip and conveyor feeding system must be adequate and provided with
protection lateral edges that stop the materials from falling down to the shaft bottom,
or to the ramp or to the conveyor tail.
9. The electrical system must be safe and protected against shocks and moisture and
must be efficient to assure a continuous, stable and protected feeding, against
overloading or short-circuits power supply.
10. The lighting must not produce dark areas that can put in risk the workers circulation
or the workings efficacy and safety.
11. Any repairs or maintenance intervention in the crushing unit must be made with the
installation stopped and the starting key must be in possession of the worker in
charge of the operation.
Section XI
Mine Safety Guarantee
Article 218
Workers Presence in Underground Works
1. Before starting the underground activity the worker must be subject to a medical
examination with the purpose of determining the physical and psychic integrity for
the work.
2. The periodicity of the underground workers medical examinations must be defined

by the technical director in co-ordination with the competent entities with legal
authority on the mining area.
3. The register system of the workers that exercise activity underground must allow
their exact localization at any moment.

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4. The workers performing work underground must wear the minimum personal
protective equipment (PPE) necessary for their protection.
5. The evacuation of all the workers must be always confirmed and in case missing
workers the necessary measures for their localization must be taken.
6. It is interdicted the designation of a sole worker to an isolated working place, except

in cases where there is continuous and safe communication with other team working
in the vicinity.
7. In the fiery mines, apart from the registration of the underground descent of workers,
the installed control system must detect and interdict the entry of objects that can
produce fire, sparks or flashes.
8. The efficiency of the underground presences control must be inspected at least half-
yearly and the results duly registered.
9. The external workers and the visitors that may stay in the mining works must be
instructed about the minimum technical safety rules and always be accompanied by
a worker nominated by the technical director.
Article 219
Responsible for the Works
1. The person responsible for the works conducting (chief) must have, apart from the
qualification for the committed tasks, qualifications in mining safety.
2. The chiefs knowledge and updated training in mining safety, must be checked and
verified by a committee nominated by the technical director.
3. Whenever in the same place a team is constituted, one of the elements of the team
must be named by the person responsible for the works, as the responsible for the
safety rules and regulations compliance.
Article 220
Previous Inspection of the Work Environment
1. Whenever there is activity underground, a person responsible for the works and
people control must be nominated in charge, without prejudice of the disposed in the
labour legislation about the working places inspection.
2. Before the workers entry, the active places of the mine must be verified by the
person responsible for the works.
3. The verification to be done by the person responsible for the works, under the
technical director’s responsibility, aim at the works, workers safety and wellbeing
and working environment.

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Article 221
Safety Instructions and Information
1. The workers designated to perform underground mining activities must benefit from
the previous necessary training and instructions about the required technical safety
norms.
2. The surface workers that eventually can execute underground works shall receive
prior training about the safety rules in practice and the instructions about the work to
be executed and its inherent risks.
3. Whenever the mining titleholder shows capacity to do it, training courses in mining
safety for the underground as well as for surface workers, must be carried out.
4. The small-scale mining companies not capable to carry out training courses can and
must join themselves under the support of the Local Mining Authority, to
compensate for this insufficiency and create the necessary training courses.
Article 222
Mine Accesses and Mining Installations Protection
1. The accesses to the surface industrial installations and to the mining works must be
protected, provided with signs and watched not allowing the entry to strangers.
2. It is prohibited the access to the underground works of non authorized people, by

the technical director, and those authorized must be duly protected with the same
workers personal protective equipment (PPE).
3. The accesses that cannot be watched even during inactive periods must be safely
closed.
4. To guarantee the workers and visitors safety, personal protective equipments (PPE)
must be distinct and in preference of light and florescent colours.
5. It is prohibited the entry in the mining installations, surface or underground works, of

any alcoholic drinks or drunk people.
Section XII
Lamphouse, Lanterns and Lamps
Article 223
Lanterns and Lamps
1. The lanterns and lamps must obey to the specifications approved by the competent
entity and be individually distributed to the workers.

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2. The lanterns and lamps must be maintained by the mining titleholder or mining
operator in the lamphouse that must receive them and proceed to their recharge,
maintenance and distribution at good functioning condition.
3. The individual lamps charge duration cannot be less than 1,7 times the shift of the
worker underground.
4. The workers must use the lamps in a way to assure its conservation.
5. The Davy lamps can only be given by the technical director to a worker qualified for
the purpose.
6. It is not allowed the use of lanterns or lamps with evidences of deterioration that
must be immediately replaced.
Article 224
Lamphouses
The underground mines must have a lamphouse where the individual lamps or Davy
lamps are kept, maintained and recharged.

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CHAPTER VIII
ARTISANAL MINING
Article 225
Operating Conditions
1. For gold processing in artisanal mining operations it is forbidden the use

of mercury or other noxious substances.
2. The artisanal mining associations must cooperate with the inspection

teams of the competent entities in order to ensure the compliance with mining
technical safety and environmental rules and legal requirements.
Article 226
Mining Activity Area
1. The mining operators can only perform mining activities when holding a “senha
mineira” (mining pass), under the terms of the Mining Law.
2. The competent entity must undertake all due diligences in order to train the
workers that intent to develop artisanal mining activity, whenever organized in
artisanal miners associations.
3. It is applicable to small-scale mining operators, with the necessary adaptations,

the regime of chapters VI and VII of this Regulation.
Article 227
Organization of the Work
1. Amongst their associates, artisanal mining workers must appoint those who
should be their representatives before the competent authorities, who will assume
the responsibilities of enforcing the basic rules of safety, hygiene and health, and
those of environmental and landscape recovery of the areas to be abandoned.
2. On occasion of the demarcation process of an area designated as area of

“senha mineira” (mining pass area) the foreseen type of shelter and sanitation
facilities must be indicated.
3. In areas of “senha mineira” (mining pass area) it is not allowed that children
perform any kind of work.
4. It is forbidden the access of children/minors into the artisanal mining areas,

except when accompanied by their parents or legal representatives.
5. It is forbidden to perform individual work in isolated areas without ensuring eye

contact with other workers.

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Article 228
Artisanal Worker Protection
1. All artisanal mining workers must wear adequate Personal Protective Equipment
(PPE) for the works to be performed.
2. Artisanal mining workers associations and the competent entities must promote
the implementation and the wearing and use of Personal Protective Equipment.
3. Whenever ore mining takes place in faces or stopes in consolidated, coherent

rock material, workers must additionally protect their feet against puncturing and
crushing, by wearing safety boots equipped with stainless steel toe-caps and inner
soles.
4. Whenever artisanal mining workers proceed to ore hand washout, pan-washing

or ore disaggregating in artisanal ball mills, aside the use of the Personal Protective
Equipment established in numbers 2 and 3 of this article, workers must wear
waterproof boots.
5. Workers involved in ore mining at the bottom of shafts must wear safety helmets
and must have available a communication system with the workers on surface in
charge of the ore hoisting system.
Article 229
Ore Extraction/Mining
1. The mining of ore in faces or stopes in non consolidated, low coherent and
instable rock material, must be done in such manner that the height of the
stopes/faces will not be higher than 2 meters and the slope pitch shall be less than
70º.
2. Whenever explosives or black powder must be used for ore mining in

consolidated rock material, it is necessary a special permission and the
representatives of the workers, or of the artisanal mining workers associations, must
assume the responsibility for the blasting, and the height of the stopes can reach up
to 3 meters.
3. Even in consolidated rock formations, were mining is done in benching stopes,

it is forbidden to work in the same alignment in two consecutive benches.
4. Ore extraction from shafts sunk in sedimentary, low cohesion, rock formations,
must be controlled from surface and permanent contact with the workers that are in
the bottom of the shaft must be seek.
5. Ladders must be installed whenever the depth of the access shaft, to the
underground working face, is higher than 3 meters.

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6. Any stoping operations, developed from the bottom of any shaft must not pass
under any construction existing on surface, neither under any water stream.
7. Any underground stopes, developed from shafts, must respect the distance
limits, for the total or partial protection zones of the infrastructures referred to in the
previous number, established in specific land legislation.
8. Underground work is forbidden for individual or isolated workers.
9. At the end of the extraction works, shafts and stopes must be filled, by using
the production waste for that effect.
10. All active shafts must have safety signs and each shaft collar must be protected
or must be surrounded by a fence in order to avoid the accidental entry of people
during the works stoppage period.
11. All active shafts must have in between a protection rock massif of at least 5
meters width.
12. The dispositions contained in numbers 1 to 4 above are applicable to sand, clay
and argil or marl extraction.
Article 230
Ore transport
1. All workers involved in ore transportation, from the stopes to processing,

washing and concentration areas, must wear clothing, footwear and head protection
that enables them to work safely.
2. All pathways used for ore transportation must be conceived in manner to

be exempted of steep inclined ramps, which might constitute risk of fall, to have
enough width and to have such delineation, which ensures lowest effort and highest
safety.
3. Whenever it is not possible to avoid pronounced ramps, with slope angle

higher than 15%, climbing steps must be carved in the ground, which must be
coated with stone blocks or other materials that ensures their stability and the
adherence of footwear.
4. All pathways used for ore transportation must be prepared for rainy
season, and must have adequate drainage system and pavement protection.
5. Extracted bulk sand, argil, clay, diatomite and bentonite transportation

must be done by use of safe means and routes must be duly authorized by the
competent entity and, if possible, must be equipped with signs.
6. The weight of each load to be transported by a worker cannot exceed 50

Kilogram.

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7. Whenever transportation of ore or materials used in mining is to be done

by women, the weight mentioned in the previous number must be adjusted
according to the ability of each woman worker.

30th May 2006
Article 231
Ore washing
1. All ore washing areas must be conceived, built and maintained taking in account
the functionality and the possibility of becoming flooded in rainy season or during
violent storm, and necessary precautionary measures must be taken.
2. Ore washing operations are only allowed in previously selected and prepared
areas, for that effect.
3. All individual workers must request an ore washing permit, pointing out the area
where they intend to do it, although they should always, whenever possible, be
integrated in a previously prepared washing area.
4. Ore washing is strictly forbidden, as well as waste deposition, in rivers, river beds
or any permanent, or not, water stream.
5. All accesses connecting the different sectors of the washing areas must be kept
clean and functioning.
Article 232
Concentrate processing
1. The artisanal miners associations must promote the joint processing of the
concentrate materials produced in the designated area.
2. In the case of gold recovery is made by amalgamation, its burning must be done
under safe conditions and in open air, where the operator should not be exposed to
fumes inhaling risk.
3. It is forbidden the burn of the amalgam in confined spaces, which are not duly
prepared for that effect.
4. It is forbidden the permanence of pregnant women and/or children in the vicinity

of the area where burning of the amalgam occurs.
Article 233
Social installations
1. In ore washing areas there must be functional and simple sanitary installations,
which must be kept in the best hygienic conditions and protected against any kind of
contamination.
2. The artisanal miners associations representatives are responsible for its proper
maintenance.

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3. In ore washing areas drinking water must be available, contained in closed

recipients and protected against any kind of contamination, and accessible to all
workers in there working.
Article 234
Environmental and Landscape Recovery
1. The mining operations in mining pass areas must be conduced in order to

ensure proper mine closure and landscape recovery, according to the conjugation of
the dispositions of articles 37 and 38, both of Mining Law, and the dispositions of
Environmental Regulation for Mining Activity.
2. The artisanal miners associations, jointly with the inspectors of the competent
entity, must prepare mine closing plans, which must include landscape recovery.
3. The designated areas of “senha mineira” (mining pass areas) cannot be

abandoned without its previous environmental recovery and the integration with
other community economic activities have been done and the competent entity has
authorized such abandonment.

30th May 2006
CHAPTER IX
EXPLOITATION OF MINERAL WATER
Article 235
Scope and extent
Without prejudice to the dispositions of articles numbers 80 and following, of the Mining
Law Regulation, the rules of the present chapter are applicable to exploration, research,
captation and bottling and/or utilization of mineral waters, waters for medical purposes
and thermal waters
Section I
Exploration, Research and Evaluation
Article 236
Prevention of Contamination (Pollution)
1. The operations for exploration and research of mineral waters, waters for
medical purposes and thermal waters, can only be performed in areas where it is
proved that there is not possibility of chemical or biological contamination (pollution)
by surface waters or pre-existing installations.
2. The operations of exploration and research must be planned and conceived in

such a way that it is avoided any kind of immediate, or future, ground, waters
pollution of where those operations are to be executed.
3. During the execution and during the occupation of the potential areas for
possible captation of mineral waters, waters for medical purposes and thermal
waters, special attention must be given to the sanitation conditions related with
human presence.
Article 237
Workers Safety
All workers involved in the operations of prospecting and research, must wear Personal
Protection Equipment (PPE), which must be suitable and adequate for the kind of work
to be executed.

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Article 238
Safety of the Equipments
1. Whenever the plan of works foresees electrical or mechanical drilling, the

working places must be previously planned and prepared in order that those
operations can be executed in safe conditions.
2. All accesses to the working places/areas must have enough width in order to
allow a safe circulation of equipments and/or personnel, and must be avoided
ramps, with slope near the limits of tolerable inclination of the equipments, as much
as possible.
3. Transportation, assembling and running of equipments must be done in safe

conditions and according to the manufacturer specifications.
Section II
Captation and Bottling of Waters
Article 239
Workers Safety
1. All workers involved in operations of captation and bottling of waters, must wear
Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), which must be the most suitable and
adequate for the kind of work to be executed.
2. Whenever captation is performed by drilling, and during its execution, workers

must be informed about the risk of the existence of confined waters under pressure
and must be duly protected against this risk.
3. In bottling installations, workers must wear clothing, foot-wear, toques and hand-
wear that prevent any kind of contamination of waters.
4. Maintenance, preservation, cleaning and disinfection of Personal Protective

Equipments are a responsibility of the mining titleholder, and must obey the
applicable legislation on health and hygiene.
Article 240
Safety of the Water Captation Installations
1. Captation of waters installations must be solid built, and protected against

trespassing of animals and intruders and must ensure the prevention against
contamination.
2. The immediate protection perimeter must have a minimum radius of 10 meters

and the site must be protected with an adequate surrounding fence.

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3. The intermediate protection perimeter must have a minimum radius of 100

meters and it is also interdicted to:
a) Any kind of construction;
b) To any kind of activity that might contribute for the contamination of

waters.
2. The outer protection perimeter must have a minimum radius of 500 meters and
in this perimeter cannot take place any agricultural activities with the use of any kind
of fertilizers, disinfestations agents and other herbicides, edification / house building,
and grazing.
3. In case of need, for geological, hydro-geological reasons, or reasons of other

nature, the mining titleholder may request to the competent entity the modification of
the above mentioned limits, duly presenting the motives.
4. The water pipes that link the captation installation to the bottling installation must
be protected, in all its length, against rupture / disruption, accidents and possibilities
of water contamination.
5. In cases were it is significant the difference of level between captation installation

and bottling installation, it must be foreseen the assembly, control and maintenance
of pressure governors technically accredited and provided with protection against
any kind of contamination.
Article 241
Bottling Installations
1. It is forbidden the transportation of water by means of cistern, reservoir, or

any other kind of container, between the water source and the bottling installation.
2. Bottling of waters premises must be solid built with a permanent nature,

and its inner must be protected with light-coloured painting, glazed tiles or similar
materials, and must be provided with a ventilation system conceived and built for
preventing the admission of dust and/or microbes.
3. As much as possible, lighting must be natural by means of protected

windows and/or skylights, and the illumination system must prevent any shadowed
areas.
4. All entrances/exits must be provided with double door chamber with

interlock system that must not allow their simultaneous opening.
5. The accesses referred to in the previous number, may be replaced by an

efficient air curtain.

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6. It is forbidden the admittance to bottling premises of workers or visitors,

which are not properly equipped with adequate Personal Protective Equipment
(PPE).
7. Inside bottling premises it is forbidden the placing of any object of mineral,

vegetal or animal origin, as well as any other equipment, machinery (whether
functional or not) and any tools which are strange and/or useless to the installation.
8. Technical installations must obey the bottle manufacturing dispositions

and the good hygiene practices.
Article 242
Complementary Installations
1. Bottle production installations must be protected against any

contamination and must be provided with enough space for:
a) Loading the feeding line contiguous to the bottling installations;
b) Production, cooling and storage of bottles;
c) Storage and preparation of raw material.
2. In case glass bottles are used, the installation must allow the washing
operation in a chamber that must be isolated from the bottle-feeding chamber.
3. Bottling installations must be provided with auxiliary power source with

enough capacity to ensure permanent functioning of critical components.
4. Social and sanitary premises must be completely efficient, must be kept in

good hygienic conditions and must be effectively isolated from the bottling areas.
5. Bottling installations must be provided with an area for packing, storage

and dispatch of full bottles.
Article 243
Bottling Operations
1. Installation water feeding tanks/reservoirs must be solid built, preferentially made of

stainless steel or other material capable to support service pressure, and must be
protected against weather changes/effects and direct sun light exposure.
2. Water conduction must be done in such manner that contact with air is always
inhibited.
3. The filtering system must allow filters replacements always with interruption of water
flow and without contamination of water, or contamination of the filter jar.

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4. Whenever a maintenance or repair operations takes place in the installation, this

must be done only by personnel properly equipped and using aseptic tools and
instruments, and the water flow interrupted.
5. Before restarting the activity of the installation a purge operation must be performed.
6. When re-using glass bottles, these must be previously submitted to adequate

washing, sterilizing and drying operations.
7. It is forbidden the re-use of any kind of bottles other than glass made bottles.
8. Bottling operations can only be performed under the following conditions:
a) Bottling area must be solid built, isolated of other areas and with a unique
entrance, without prejudice of emergency exits, provided with double door
chamber and must be protected of any sudden entry or risk of contamination.
b) Bottle filling terminals must be fixed placed at a convenient height which is

to be related with the type of bottle and must be provided with a valve of upwards
drive functioning through the bottle itself.
c) All workers involved in these operations must wear full Personal

Protective Equipment (PPE) in order to prevent any contamination, which must
be daily changed.
d) Entry and exit of workers to/from the bottling area must only be done
through a clothing change chamber, which must be object of sanitary
disinfection.
Article 244
Control and Inspection
1. Before beginning of the production activity, all mineral waters captation,

bottling and distribution installations must be inspected by the competent entities.
2. Notwithstanding the control and inspective power of the competent

entities it is encouraged the joint, or autonomous, inspection and control performed
by other entities with a periodicity not higher than six months.
3. In case of autonomous control and inspection performed by other entities,

these must report and inform the obtained results to the other relevant related
organisms.

30th May 2006
CHAPTER X
INSTALLATIONS, MINERAL PROCESSING AND INDUSTRIAL ANNEXES
Article 245
Operation and Characteristics of the Installations
1. The maintenance interventions or repairs of the equipment in ore and

industrial minerals treatment and processing installations, must be done with the
installations completely stopped and the start key, of those equipments, must be in
the possession of the maintenance personnel.
2. The circuits, cables and electrical equipments must be shock/impact

resistant and must be protected from humidity and water.
3. The water, gas and compressed air piping and tubes must be painted in
different colours, according to international colour coding rules, being labelled on a
colour code board and affixed in places with the biggest affluence of people in the
installations.
4. In ore and industrial minerals treatment and processing industrial

installations, fire extinguishers with adequate capacity and characteristics must be
strategically placed and identified with signs.
5. All workers of ore and industrial minerals treatment and processing

industrial installations, must use the adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
for the activity they are performing.
6. In all entries, yards and accessible places signs must be affixed indicating
that it is compulsory the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and also other
relevant signs in graphical language.
7. The power installations, including equipments, must be conceived and

installed in order to ensure the safety of the workers and power circuits, the
protection of the equipment and to ensure efficient earth connection.
8. The resistance of the earth connection must not exceed 4 ohms.
9. The buildings of the ore and industrial minerals treatment and processing
industrial installations must be of solid construction with maximum usability of
natural lighting and have efficient lightning conductors.
10. The ore and industrial minerals treatment and processing industrial
installations, if not working continuously, must be emptied and washed at the end of
each working shift.

30th May 2006
Article 246
Mobile Parts Guards
1. The mobile parts of equipments, which can be accessed by the workers,

must be guarded with efficient guard plates and be easy fitting and unfitting.
2. Whenever, by the nature of the equipment, it is not possible to efficiently

protect the part that, by its movement, might constitute a risk, the access to that
area must be prohibited to the workers, although maintenance personnel may
access when the equipment has been stopped.
Article 247
Workings in Heights
1. The works, whether of verification and control, whether of maintenance, in

high equipment or structures, may only be performed by trained personnel and with
an anti-fall safety harness.
2. The stairs for accessing high structures must be equipped with guards
against falls.
3. Whenever balustrades or handrails are used for protecting the workers

from falling, those must be of solid construction, and have a height of about 1 meter
and an intermediate beam placed at 0,50 meter of the ground.
Section I
Crushing, Grinding and Milling Installations
Article 248
Feeding of the Installations
1. The feeding chutes of ore and industrial minerals treatment and processing units
must be guarded with gratings and handrails in order to prevent a possible fall of the
workers.
2. Whenever the feeding is done by means of dumpers or trucks a resistant stop

wall must be constructed to impede the vehicles from falling.
3. The shelter for the workers in this area must be constructed in manner to protect
them against noise and vibrations.
4. The silos or chutes feeding operations must be continuously controlled by a

worker positioned in a protected area and with visibility of the whole operation as
well as with possibility of communication with the operators of the machinery in use
in the working area.

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5. The maintenance, unblock up or unobstruction operations can never be

performed with running installations and only when using a safety harness, placed
and duly fastened to a solid structure.
Article 249
Crushing, Grinding and Milling
1. The hopper-feeders opening must be provided with guards against possible falls
of the workers by use of anti-fall balustrades.
2. Workers that are not using a safety harness duly fastened to a solid structure are
prohibited to unblock operations of the equipment.
3. The feeding of the grinding and milling elements (rods, balls) must be done
under safety conditions, and thus the immobilization of the mills is recommended.
4. Crushers must be equipped with dust control systems/devices.
Article 250
Screening Equipments
1. Whenever technically and economically possible, the screens must be hooded

(encapsulated) with the double purpose of preventing dust release and the noise
emissions control.
2. The safeguards of the rotating parts must enable easy fitting and unfitting and, if
possible, be provided with safety systems that do not allow the running of equipment
when the safeguard is out of place.
3. The screens support structure must be of a solid and rigid built and capable of
tolerating high vibrations.
4. Whenever screening is done with water under pressure, an exhausting ventilator

must be installed in order to prevent the dispersion of droplets.
Article 251
Conveyor Belts
1. Fixed mechanical transporters, horizontally installed, must observe the

following safety conditions:
a) They must be of solid construction and be provided with anti-skid and

lateral sliding protections;
b) Whenever fixed mechanical transporters are installed on raised structures

they must be provided with a under guard against falls of materials and tools;

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c) They must be equipped with at least one lateral passage for monitoring
and maintenance, protected with handrails or balusters and with an anti-skid
pavement.
d) They must have an emergency stopping system along its entire length.
2. When installed in an inclined plan, the fixed mechanical transporters, apart

from the dispositions of the previous number, must be provided with a system that:
a) Prevents reverse rotation of the barrel (head motor);
b) Makes the motor to stop when the belt has slip;
c) Allow self-alignment or be provided with lateral rollers that prevents its

derailment.
3. The rollers referred to in paragraph c) of the previous number must stop the
conveyor when the maximum point of deflection is reached, without any risk.
4. The belts of conveyors must be of incombustible type. If this is not the case
then an automatic fire extinguishing system must be installed.
5. A heat and the rain resistant structure, with a height of at least half of its
width, must cover conveyor belts installed exteriorly.
6. Any maintenance or repair operations must be done with the conveyor belt
stopped, unloaded and preferably washed and the start key must be in the
possession of the maintenance technician.
Article 252
Conveyor Piping
1. Piping for removal of slurries proceeding from the ore and industrial minerals
treatment and processing industrial installations, must be conceived and
constructed, in order to:
a) Ensure the continuity, resistance and stability of the pipe line;
b) Ensure tightness and the leading of the slurry to a safe place in case of
rupture;
c) Have monitoring and maintenance conditions.
2. Piping used for conveyance of water or slurry, whenever installed outside the
treatment installations, must be protected against possible fires, abnormal rains
and piece of vandalism.
3. The line of pipes with significant unevenness and/or with long length must have
appropriate distances between the pressure governors and the air release valves.

30th May 2006
Section II
Concentration Installations
Article 253
Hydro-gravity Concentration
1. The installations of hydro-gravity concentration must be conceived, built and kept

in such way that:
a) The ore and water feeding is done in a safe way preventing occasional and
accidental spillage;
b) It can be ensured adequate cleanliness and safe circulation of the workers;
c) Feeding, concentration, waste and concentrate discharge systems and the water
supply systems, may be subject to electrical lock-out and so eliminating the
possibility of extemporary starting of any of those equipments;
d) Electrical circuits and equipment are protected against the infiltration of water
and excessive moisture.
2. Electrical circuits and equipment of the hydro-gravity concentration installations

must be provided with voltage control devices that can automatically circuit break or
shut off in case of overload or short circuit occurs.
3. Equipment with movement, such as concentration tables, must be installed in

such way that:
a) Its surrounding space is adequate for one to be able to walk, adjust or

intervene, without risk;
b) Water supply and pulp piping and that for the conveyance of the
obtained products, must be installed in a way that it does not difficult the
circulation of the workers;
c) Have drainage ditches directed to a safe place, ensuring the discharge

of draining waters or those that overflow.
Article 254
Concentration by Flotation
1. Flotation installations must be conceived and built taking into account:
a) The type and nature of the ore as well as the processing capacity;
b) The type, number and the capacity of cells;

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c) The type, quantities and distribution circuits of reagents;
d) The indication and identification of circuits.
2. Whenever toxic chemical products are used as reagents, the feeding circuits
of these must be isolated in order to prevent human contact.
3. The preparation of the reagents referred to in the previous number must be

made by using the minimum workmanship and in observance to the manufacturer
safety instructions.
4. The ore pulp flow must be permanently controlled in a way to avoid rupture of
the transferring pipes between the cells and the final thickening system and the
discharge to the tailings ponds.
5. The froth collecting and leading system must be efficient and the final
thickened product must be stored in a safe way.
6. Balustrades must protect installations where large volume cells are used.
7. Along the lines of cells, there must be landings protected with handrails or
balustrades for the circulation of vigilance and control personnel.
8. The storage of toxic chemical substances must be made in adequate own

installations with restricted access to the workers handling them.
9. The preparation of the flotation reagents, which includes toxic products, must
be done in a safe and ventilated place, by workers trained for this effect, and the
admittance of strange persons must be forbidden.
Article 255
Electromagnetic and Electrostatic Concentration
1. The section where electromagnetic and electrostatic concentration is done must be

protected against radiation, and its control must be periodically carried out.
2. The workers that might remain for long time in the concentration section referred to
in the previous number must be periodically submitted to specific medical exams.
3. The equipment of dry concentration must be hooded (encapsulated) in order to

prevent dust.
Article 256
Hydro-metallurgic Processing
1. The heaps for ore leaching must be fenced and the admittance must only be
allowed to the workers of the operation, which must be equipped with the adequate
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

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2. In static leaching the collecting ditches and ponds and the leaching and leached
fluids piping, must be of material resistant to these fluids and, must be protected
against the eventual access of strange persons.
3. Cementation or metals recovering installations must be built taking into account

the nature of the products, the accessibility of people, including the workers, the
minimum safety conditions for the prevention of falls, the accidental ingestion, eye
splashes or touch with skin.
4. The storage of the chemical products used in leaching, or in precipitation, must

be done in a closed place or deposit locked and the key placed in a secured place.
Article 257
Illumination and Ventilation
1. Installations for the treatment and processing of the ore must be built in order to
ensure the adequate lighting, preferably with natural lighting.
2. In the installations where operations with water sprinkling pressure or with the
possibility of occurring dust release, the ventilation must be forced, of the suction
type and with treatment of exhausted air through efficient dust retainers.
Section III
Industrial Annexes
Article 258
Mining Waste Piles
1. The landfills (barren or waste piles) proceeding from mining operations must be
considered as inert materials and must comply with the following minimum
conditions:
a) To be object of a project to be presented with the mining plan for approval;
b) In already working installations, an autonomous project must be executed

which must be approved by the competent entity superintending the
environmental matters;
2. The landfill projects must contain the following elements:
a) The maximum planned capacity;
b) The type of products to be deposited;
c) The occupied area;
d) The maximum planned height;

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e) The type of transport and unloading;
f) The accesses and safety conditions to be applicable relatively to the

existing structures;
g) Closing plan;
3. The areas for the construction of the landfills must be previously deforested,
mould must be removed, which must be stored in a proper place and prepared, if
necessary, with impermeable clay material.
4. The transportation, circulation and unloading of the materials in the landfills must
be done observing the safety conditions, namely:
a) The circulation rules;
b) The capacity and loading of the conveyance or transporting

equipment;
c) The installation or construction of anti-fall stop blocks in the areas of

unloading;
d) The lower protection against the rolling rocks beyond the limits of the
pile.
5. For waste piles with a final height over 10 metres, the approval conditions must
be completed with a slopes stability study and with a concise geological survey
which clearly shows that the grounds are sufficiently solid and resistant to ensure
the duration of the landfill beyond its closing.
6. When is to be presumed the existence of leached materials in the waste to be

dumped in the pile it must be ensured, apart from the conditions established in the
previous numbers, the impermeability of its base with the coverage of a compacted
layer of clay, with a thickness not less than 1 meter, or other equivalent
methodology.
7. As its height is lower or higher than 10 m, landfills must be constructed in a way

to ensure that they have the following minimum protection distances:
a) 10 m and 20 m respectively, from any neighbouring land

properties, whether enclosed with wall or not;
b) 15 m and 30 m respectively, from any public roads/ways;
c) 20 m and 40 m respectively, from fluid ducts, low voltage power

lines, telecommunications lines and rope-way telephers;
d) 50 m and 100 m respectively, from water springs, municipality

road ways, railway lines, permanent flow streams, canals, transformer or
telecommunications stations, places of public use and buildings;

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e) 70 m and 140 m respectively, from national roads and high

voltage power lines;
f) 150 m and 300 m respectively, from the urban perimeters,

national monuments, classified places of touristic value, military and security
services installations and buildings, schools and hospitals;
g) 400 m and 600 m respectively, from places or classified zones

with scientific or landscape value.
8. The distances referred to in the previous paragraphs are not enforced in cases
where the things and objects to be preserved are integrated in the respective mining
installations, things that must be considered in the respective landfill projects or in
the mining plans.
9. The distances can be adjusted by the competent entity, when it is proven that
such reduction does not expose to risk the public health or the safety of people and
property.
Article 259
Tailings Ponds
1. The construction, operation and closing of tailings ponds must follow a project
approved by the relevant competent entities, in which it must be mentioned the:
a) Localization;
b) Type of construction;
c) Planned maximum capacity;
d) Type of products to be deposited and its physical-chemical stability;
e) Occupied area;
f) Planned maximum height;
g) Type of transport and unloading;
h) Accesses and;
i) The safety conditions in place relatively to the existing structures.
2. In the case of tailings ponds for the waste proceeding from treatment and
processing industrial installations of metallic ore, the base of the support wall, the
wall side in contact with the tailings and the bottom of the pond itself, must be made
impervious in accordance to the approved project by the competent entity.

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3. The tailings ponds must be fenced and provided with signs in order to prevent
the access or the entry of strange persons and animals that eventually might fall or
become submerged in them.
4. The conditions of deposition, the water free level and the safety conditions of the
tailings ponds must be permanently monitored in order to enable quick intervention
in the case of hazard.
5. Seepage must be controlled through the execution of small wells or piezometric

bore holes, downstream and sidelong, depending on the kind of pond, and the
amount of infiltrated water weekly measured and its quality monthly evaluated.
6. The water proceeding from seepage and drainage of the tailings ponds of
metallic ores must be pumped back into the basin.
7. The tailings ponds can only be altered by means of a modification project

approved by the competent entities.
8. The tailings ponds and decantation basins must have foreseen a programmed
cleansing system; the removed products must be deposited under safe conditions in
a place approved by the competent entity for the mineral resources field and the
entities superintending the environmental matters.
9. The tailings ponds must be built obeying the minimum protection distances
established in number 6 of the previous article.
Article 260
Pumping and Water Treatment Stations
1. Pumping stations that operate in underground mines, must be conceived and

built foreseeing the pumping of the water with materials in suspension and possibly
corrosive, having decantation systems preceding them.
2. Decantation systems in underground mining must be conceived and built in order

to, under the exigencies of effectiveness, the minimum possible space is occupied.
3. Pump stations that operate in the bottom of the mine to ensure the drainage,
must have sufficient capacity for that effect, and there must be installed at least one
reserve pump with the same capacity in operating condition.
4. The decantation, conveyance and deposition systems of collected slurry,

referred to in number 2 of the present article, must be subjected to cleaning through
a safe cleansing system.
5. Pumping stations installed in the tailings ponds with the purpose of recycling
water, must have enough capacity, must be of safe built and must be sheltered or
protected against storms, with auto-prime system, and must work in load to prevent
problems due to operating in void.

30th May 2006
6. Pump stations installed in open cast mining to ensure drainage of pluvial waters,
or spring waters, and even of the extraction methods, must have enough capacity to
convey those waters into the decantation basins.
7. The direct pumping from the pump stations foreseen in the previous number into
lakes or rivers and streams of the hydrological systems, is forbidden.
Article 261
Protection of the Pumping Systems
1. Pumping systems must be protected against:
a) Electrical overloads of the distribution network or due to lightning

discharges;
b) Weather effects;
c) Hydraulic shocks;
d) Block up of the suction system;
e) Contact of persons with the mobile parts;
f) Electrocution risk for persons or animals.
2. The power lines and the water or slurry piping must be protected in order to
prevent problems related with power failure or with rupture of the piping.

30th May 2006
CHAPTER XI
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Article 262
Technical and Economical Conditioning Factors
1. The measures for collective protection must prevail over the individual protection,
once they become technically and economically viable.
2. The competent entity, will define the technical/economical conditions referred to

the in the previous number.
3. The mining titleholder must transmit to the health and safety committees referred
to in article 273 of the present Regulation, the normative and technical studies that
the competent entity communicates to them.
4. The artisanal mining operators that work individually or are integrated in

associations must be obliged to use the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and
present a program of activities that demonstrates their knowledge in the prevention
of safety and health.
5. In case of eminent dangers or accidents, workers are obliged to give mutual

assistance/help.
Section I
First Aid
Article 263
Minimum Requirements
1. The mining titleholder that employs more than 50 workers must have a first aid
station defined in article 264 of the present Regulation.
2. In case of mines where the number of workers is less than 50, the mining
titleholder must provide installations with divisions or compartments, with 1 first aid
assistant and respective first aid bag, where the workers can receive first aid
assistance.
3. In mining works there must be one first aid assistant for every 10 workers. The
name of the first aid assistants must be affixed in a place where it is clearly visible,
either at the entrance of the mine or in the place where first aid is given.
4. In mines with more than 200 workers, including the ones mentioned in number 1
of the present article, there must still exist, an ambulance, except in special cases
authorised by the competent entity.

30th May 2006
5. The associations of artisanal miners and the mining titleholders of small-scale

mines must promote the training of at least one first aid assistant.
Article 264
First Aid Station
1. The first aid station must be situated in a relatively central area of the mine
installations, must be sufficiently spacious, with adequate temperature, ventilation
and illumination conditions, must have hot and cold water and, must be kept clean,
in good conservation conditions.
2. The first aid station must be:
a) Of easy access for a stretcher transporting an injured worker;
b) Isolated from areas destined to other finalities;
c) Exclusively used for first aid, assistance and treatment of injured workers.
3. The first aid station must be under the responsibility of a graduate nurse and
must have permanently on duty a first aid assistant.
Article 265
Installations and Material for the First Aid Station
1. The first aid station must be equipped in an adequate manner for its
purpose, and constituted of:
a) A waiting room;
b) Treatment room;
c) Doctors room;
d) Lavatory and bathroom.
2. The first aid station must have the basic equipment as follows:
a) Stretchers;
b) Blankets;
c) Telephone;
d) Scale;
e) Measuring tape;
f) Thermometer;

30th May 2006
g) Spirometer;
h) Magnifying glass;
i) Diverse speculums;
j) A reflex hammer;
k) Negatoscope;
l) Tourniquet;
m) Oxygen bottle;
n) Blood pressure apparatus;
o) Stethoscope;
p) Urinary probes;
q) Apparatus to immobilise fractures;
r) Emergency medicines;
s) Surgical material for performing minor surgery;
t) Sterilised dressings;
u) Bandages;
v) First aid kit.
3. In mines with more than 500 workers, including those in the previous
number, the first aid station must have at its disposal:
a) Cloak-rooms (at least 3) of 4 m2 each;
b) X-ray room;
c) Recovery room.
Article 266
Underground First Aid Station/Facilities
1. The first aid station must be supplied with the following material:
a) First aid box with specifications in accordance to the number of workers;
b) Stretcher;

30th May 2006
c) Blankets;
d) Triangular bandage cloths;
e) Splices of various sizes;
f) Emergency medicines.
2. The installation of electrical power and sufficient hot and cold running water
must be foreseen.
Article 267
Accidents
1. In case of an accident or serious illness in the mine, the person responsible for
the first aid station must be immediately informed of such event, in order to take the
necessary measures.
2. Whenever any serious accident that might put the life of the workers in danger
occur or if it is foreseeable, immediate and appropriate measures must be taken in
order to ensure the safe rescue of the workers.
Article 268
Lifesaving Staff and Rescue Teams
1. With the purpose of saving the workers, protecting patrimony and ensuring the
continuity of production, the mining titleholder must create a lifesaving staff
constituted by one or more rescue teams.
2. The installations, organization and supply of the lifesaving staff, as well as

training of their members, must be a responsibility of the technical director which
must make the respective rules.
3. Workers, keeping in mind for the choice their presence of mind, stamina and
knowledge of the mine conditions, must constitute the rescue teams.
4. The elements of the rescue teams must have adequate training and instruction
provided by competent instructors.
5. A list that includes the means of permanent contact with the members of the
rescue teams must be affixed in places with the biggest affluence of workers.
Article 269
Safety Drills
1. Safety drills must be performed, at least every six months, in places usually
occupied by the workers.

30th May 2006
2. The safety drills have the purpose of training and checking the aptitude of the
workers in charge of performing the necessary tasks with the emergency equipment
in accordance to the established in the health and safety plan.
3. The equipment used during the drills must be inspected and cleaned, recharged
if necessary, and replaced in its place.
Article 270
Evacuation and Rescue
1. All workers must receive training about the adequate emergency measures.
2. Rescue equipment must exist, ready to be used, in adequate places, with easy
access and with proper signs.
3. When an evacuation is done through an itinerary susceptible of containing

dangerous atmospheres, the workers must make use of masks or breathing
apparatus with independent air supply, which must be available in sufficient quantity
in accessible places.
Section II
Health and Safety Services
Article 271
Constitution
1. In all mines a service must be organised, designated “health and safety

services”, for which workers must be appointed with the attributes as referred to in
the present Regulation, respectively called “safety technicians” or “safety officers”
when the mining titleholder employs more than 200 workers or less than this
number.
2. Whenever it is justified, one or more safety officers, with the purpose of providing
proper health and safety services, can assist the safety technician.
3. The appointment of those workers is a competence of the technical director, who

must select safety technicians or the safety officers, people with adequate
professional training and recognised aptness, from among suitable workers.
4. The safety technicians or the safety officers are only accountable before the
technical director.
5. The training in health and safety of the safety technicians or the safety officers
referred to in number 1 of the present article must be done regularly and is a
responsibility of the mining titleholder that shall support its costs.

30th May 2006
6. The appointments referred to in number 3 of the present article, must be

communicated to the relevant competent entities.
Article 272
Competencies
The health and safety services, must:
a) Proceed with, frequent and systematic, visits to the workplaces, with the purpose
of ensuring the fulfilment of the dispositions of the present Regulation and other
applicable regulations in matters pertaining to safety, health and hygiene at work;
b) Propose to the technical director the specific measures deemed necessary and
control its implementation;
c) Promote the sensitization of the workers for the matters of safety and hygiene, in
order to incite a preventing attitude;
d) Elaborate quarterly reports about the developed activities, reporting the

accidents occurred, their causes, the proposed measures to avoid its reiteration,
and must send a copy of the same report to the competent entity.
e) Elaborate an annual report in which it is specified, namely, the “disabling injuries

frequency rate” (DIFR) and the “severity rate” (SR), and must send a copy to the
competent entity.
f) Elaborate internal safety regulations, to be approved by the safety and health

committee, of which copy must be sent to the competent entities or others.
Section III
Health and Safety Committees
Article 273
Constitution
1. In mining operations with more than 200 workers a committee must be

created, designated “health and safety committee”.
2. The health and safety committee is constituted by:
a) Members representing the company:
• Technical director;
• Representative of the mining titleholder;
• Safety technician;

30th May 2006
• Safety officer;
b) Members representing the workers:
• Members elected by the workers;
3. In case of severe accidents, the committee must assemble immediately.
4. The number of representatives for the workers must be equal to the

number of representatives for the company with the right to vote.
Article 274
Attributions
The health and safety committee have the following attributions:
a) Proceed to periodic inspections of all the installations, and all materials and
equipment;
b) To watch over the compliance with legal dispositions and internal regulations;
c) To request and study the suggestions of the workers about matters of health and
safety;
d) To promote the necessary diligences and actions, so that all the workers
admitted for the first time or changed from work posts receive the necessary
training in the field of health and safety;
e) Discuss all reports produced by the safety technicians or the safety officers and,
as well as, the causes of accidents occurred and propose the adequate
measures;
f) Present to the mining titleholder suggestions for the improvement of health,

safety, and hygiene conditions;
g) Study and debate the problems presented by the safety technicians and safety
officers;
h) Request the support of experts in the matter, whenever such is deemed

necessary;
i) To watch over the fulfilment that all workers are duly insured against accidents at
workplace.

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Section IV
Workplace’s Organization
Article 275
Organization
1. Whenever there are workers present in the mine, the mining titleholder must
have a person responsible for leading the works.
2. The areas considered as high-risk areas must be selected by the person in

charge for the works and must be inspected in every shift.
3. When work is done by shifts, the person in charge for the works of one shift,
must inform the person in charge for the works of the following shift, about the safety
situation and about measures taken, initiated or to be initiated.
Article 276
Person Responsible for the Workplace
For each place of work it is compulsory the appointment of one responsible worker,
which must check the compliance with the regulation for technical safety and health,
and inform his hierarchic superior about the non-compliances.
Article 277
Serious Accidents Reporting
1. The serious and fatal accidents, collective accidents, damages and serious
incidents must be immediately reported to the technical director and the relevant
competent entities.
2. All events that impair or are susceptible to impair public safety must be
reported to the local authorities.
3. The accidents referred to in number 1 of the present article, must be subject

to an inquiry by the competent entities in accordance to the applicable legislation.
4. The conditions of the area in which the serious or fatal accident occurred may
not be altered without permission given by the responsible entity for the inquiry,
except if from this fact it might result a greater danger for the victim.

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Section V
Aptitude and Qualification of the Workers
Article 278
Training of Supervisors
The persons in charge for the mining works, must be qualified for that effect, and must
possess theoretical and/or practical knowledge about the safety rules.
Article 279
Training and Instruction of the Workers
1. The workers in charge for performing tasks related with mining operations must
receive, necessary and sufficient, prior training on general aspects about mining
safety and on working conditions, and written instructions on the tasks to be
performed.
2. It is the duty of the technical director to determine a period for training and its
respective program, which must be reviewed with the periodicity deemed necessary,
but not higher than one year.
Article 280
Training for Specific Works
1. Whenever it is necessary specific knowledge for mining works, manoeuvring and

maintenance of machinery and mining installations, the workers must be duly
trained and qualified.
2. The workers designated to another work place or for performing different

activities from its usual task, must be duly trained and instructed by the person in
charge for the works of the new place of work.
Article 281
Visitors
1. Admittance of people strange to the installations related to the mining operations,

whether visitors or workers of other company must be authorised by the mining
titleholder.
2. Visitors must be informed about the risks, must wear the adequate Personal
Protective Equipment and be duly escorted.
3. The workers of other companies must receive training enough in order to ensure
their colleagues and their own protection.

30th May 2006
CHAPTER XII
WORKERS’ PROTECTION
Article 282
Protection against Noxious Agents
1. Whenever, in the health and safety plan, it is predictable the exposure of the
workers to physical, chemical or biological agents, the mining titleholder must take
measures leading to its elimination or reduction to the lowest levels, compatible to
the technical/economic conditions, and make and supervise the health and hygiene
control of the workers exposed to those risks.
2. The rate of supervision and health and hygiene control actions must be
increased whenever it is observed that the risks referred to in the previous number
exceeds the established tolerable limit values.
3. Whenever it’s not possible to maintain these values below the established limit
values, by means of the use of collective protection measures, the mining titleholder
as complementary protection must supply the workers with adequate Personal
Protective Equipment (PPE) for the risks they are exposed.
Article 283
Chemical Agents
1. Necessary measures must be taken in order to ensure that the tolerable limits of the
risks to the health of the workers when exposed to atmospheres containing
dangerous substances are not exceeded in the workplaces, as well as to ensure the
control of the concentrations of noxious chemical substances.
2. Related to the most common chemical agents in the mining industry, the admissible
concentrations for the gases are the following:
Gas Formula Conc. in mg per m3 Conc. in % of vol Conc. in ppm

Carbon monoxide CO 55 0.005 50
Carbon dioxide CO2 9000 0.5 5000
Nitrous monoxide NO 20 0.002 20
Nitrous dioxide NO2 10 0.0005 5
Nitrous oxides (NOX) NOx 10
Sulphuretted hydrogen H2S 15 0.001 10
Sulphur dioxide SO2 10 0.0004 4
Hydrogen H2 1000
3. Without prejudice of the dispositions in the previous numbers, and during short
periods of time, not exceeding 15 minutes, and in accordance with the danger of the
gas, concentrations higher than the values established in the previous table can be
tolerable, provided that the that following values are not exceeded:

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Gas Formula Conc. in ppm

Carbon monoxide CO 100
Carbon dioxide CO2 12500
Nitrous dioxide NO2 3
Nitrous oxides (NOX) NOx 25
Sulphuretted hydrogen H2S 50
Sulphur dioxide SO2 10
Hydrogen H2 10000
4. If the concentrations of dangerous/noxious gases exceeding the values established

in the previous number, the workers must be immediately removed, and the
technical director has to adopt the measures that are necessary in order to
normalize the situation.
5. The measurements of the concentrations of the gases referred to in the previous

numbers must be carried out, once a month, and always when the tolerable limit
values are reached or exceeded, and every six months in all other cases.
6. Whenever uncommon dangerous chemical agents are present in the atmosphere,

such as mercury, cadmium, lead ore dust, etc., this fact must be immediately
reported to the competent entity, which must determine, for each particular case, the
measures to be taken for its control and for the protection of the workers.
7. The Minister superintending the area of mineral resources together with relevant
Ministers for this area, in presence of the evolution of work techniques and methods,
the best knowledge about the effects of physical, chemical and biological agents on
the organisms, the arising of new control or health protection methods, can alter the
tolerable limit values referred to in numbers 2 and 3 of the present article, through a
ministerial joint Act.
Article 284
Physical Agents
1. The mining titleholder must make the control of the physical agents that might
have influence on the health and comfort of the workers, of the dust amounts and its
injuriousness, of the temperature and of the humidity level, of the noise levels,
vibrations and the ionising radiations (electromagnetic and optical) levels.
2. Bearing in mind the technical evolution and the availability of means for control,
the levels of exposure to the physical agents must be reduced, especially at the
emission source, to its lowest possible value.
Article 285
Dusts
1. The maximum tolerable concentration levels of silica contained in breathable

dusts present in the air of workplaces, where there is permanent presence of
workers, are established according to the following values:

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a) Content in silica lower than 5% 5 mg/m3 or 800 P/cm3;
b) Content in silica between 5% and 25% 2 mg/m3 or 500 P/ cm3;
c) Content in silica between 25% and 50% 1.5 mg/m3 or 250 P/cm3
d) Content in silica higher than 50% 1 mg/m3 or 100 P/cm3.
2. The limits established in the previous number must be adjusted, by Act of the
Minister superintending the area of mineral resources.
3. Whenever it is verified the repeated occurrence of dustings with free silica

content higher than 50%, these measurements must be done quarterly and
whenever the competent entity induces special conditions for the work, of ventilation
and of personal protection.
4. In workplaces where, it is not possible to reduce the content of dust to values

below the ones established in number 1, the workers must use dust masks that
ensures their protection.
5. Dust masks, are freely distributed, personal and is not advised for individuals
with respiratory problems.
6. The dust content must be periodically measured, under terms to be established

by the technical director, in order to ensure that immediate measures be taken
whenever the values, as indicated in the previous paragraphs, are exceeded.
7. The amount of asbestos dust in the air must not exceed the following values:
a) Short term exposure - number of fibers/cm3 = 5;
b) Long term exposure - number of fibers/cm3 = 2.
8. The workers that perform their activity in dusty environments, and are
susceptible of getting pneumoconiosis, must be annually submitted to medical
exams.
Article 286
Temperature
1. In mining works whenever an effective temperature (tr) over 33ºCelsius occurs,

in terms of the formula indicated in the number to follow, the activity must be
suspended during the lengths of time where such is verifiable.
2. The effective temperature is calculated by the following formula:
tr = 0,7 X th - 0,3 X ts - V
in which:

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th – is the Wet Bulb Temperature;
ts – is the Dry Bulb Temperature and
V- is the air speed in meters per second, and in which for every 5m/sec.
correspondence to 1º Celsius is made.
3. In areas where it is considered to be high temperature and humidity level or

when it is suspect that they can reach the limits referred to in number 1 of the
present article, the measurement of the temperature must be done at least every
fifteen days, and when reaching its maximum values measurements must be done
daily and the values obtained registered, in order to be presented to the control and
inspection entities.
4. In places where it is verified the persistence of temperatures higher than the

limits as referred to in number 1 of the present article, the mining titleholder must
establish a reduction of the staying time in those places for the workers on duty
depending on the maximum values reached.
5. In places where low temperatures can be verified, it must:
a) Be installed a non-pollutant heating system;
b) Be provided to the workers adequate and enough clothing.
Article 287
Protection Against Noise
1. In the workplaces appropriate technical measures must be taken, in order to

eliminate or reduce noises, avoiding its propagation which level must not exceed 85
dB (A) or 200 Pa, for the acoustic pressure peak not weighed.
2. Whenever the applicable technical measures for protection are not sufficient,
the workers must use adequate personal protectors approved by the competent
entities or, if necessary, to seek limited the duration of the noise exposure.
3. The applicable rules and alterations of the maximum tolerable limits must be
defined, based on technical evolution and on changes of the economical conditions
as per the Ministerial Act.
Article 288
Protection Against Vibrations
1. The mining titleholder when choosing the equipment and method for the work
must consider the reduction of the workers exposure to the risk of vibrations to its
possible minimum taking necessary actions at men-machine interaction level.

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2. The Ministerial Act must establish the tolerable exposure limit of vibrations
transmitted to the hand and body of the workers.
Article 289
Protection Against Radiation
1. The mining titleholder must adopt work methods and choose the equipment in
such way to reduce to the minimum possible, in the workplace, the exposure of the
workers to the risks of electromagnetic, optical and ionising radiations.
2. In workplaces where extraction, warehousing, manipulation or use of radio-active

substances occurs, or where devices able to produce ionising radiations are used,
indispensable dispositions for health and safety of the workers must be adopted,
and the rules of applicable legislation must be observed.
3. The Ministerial Act must establish the exposure tolerable limit values.
Article 290
Biological Agents
1. In workplaces where the possibility of existence of biological agents occurs, the

mining titleholder must detect its nature in order to evaluate the risks for the health
and safety of the workers.
2. The evaluation must be regularly performed and must also occur whenever there
is any change of the conditions that might affect the workers exposure to biological
agents.
3. Whenever the existence of risks related to biological agents occurs, the mining
titleholder must inform the responsible authorities for the health and safety of the
workers and about the population data used for that risk evaluation.
4. The competent entity will publish regularly a list of the biological agents that must
be controlled.
5. The workers who perform any kind of activity in areas susceptible of biological
agents contamination must be informed about the risks they are exposed, the
preventative measures and the proceedings to be taken after being exposed.
6. Whenever biological agents restrainable by vaccinations are detected, the

mining titleholder must promote the free supply of the vaccines for the workers.
7. The mining titleholder must promote and encourage the use of preventive
measures against malaria and other similar diseases making available helpful
medicines and instructions to the workers.

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Article 291
Verification of Fulfilment
Without prejudice to attributions conferred to other entities, the Ministry office

superintending the field of mineral resources will verify the observance of the limits
imposed in the previous articles by the mining titleholder.
Section I
Preventive Measures
Article 292
Evaluation of Risks Exposure
1. The mining titleholder must create its own service for the risks exposure
evaluation, which is to be incorporated in its health and safety service.
2. When forming the service referred to above it must be considered the number of
workers, the possibility of accidents, occupational diseases and other indications
deemed convenient.
3. The mining titleholder must address to the competent entity, as complementary

part of the annual report, an explanatory note about the sampling places, the results
and measurements obtained the process and the preventive measures taken.
4. In relation to chemical, physical and biological agents, the explanatory note

referred to in the previous number, must contain all particulars considered as risks
for the workers.
5. The competent entity, in view of the results annually obtained, may allow the
extension of term and the reduction of the deal of analysed elements or, on the
contrary, may determine the evaluation of other elements and the performance of
complementary samplings.
Article 293
Prevention of Pneumoconiosis
1. The mining titleholder must take measures, aiming:
a) The prevention of dust formation;
b) The reduction of dust at the places of its formation to its possible minimum level;
c) To avoid that deposited dust pass to a suspension on air condition (float dust);
d) The elimination of dust on air suspension (float dust).

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2. In order to avoid dusting, the mining plan must foresees:
a) Adequate and sufficient ventilation;
b) The reduction of the rate of blasting to its minimum;
c) The reduction of the amount of falling of materials susceptible to produce dust to

its minimum;
d) The reduction of dry filling to its minimum, within the technical-economical

restraints of the mine;
e) The introduction, whenever necessary and possible, of moistening wetting or

humidifying processes.
3. In extraction workings with wide sections (haulages, working sections/faces) in

rock formations with noxious potential, strict measures must be taken in order to
achieve the objectives referred to in number 1 of the present article.
4. Whenever necessary, the consolidation of deposited dust must be done.
Article 294
Protection against Dust
1. Drilling must be done by means of water injection (wet drilling), although the
competent entity may allow the captation of dry dust, when equipment with proven
effectiveness is used.
2. Once there are no obstacles, the drilling-machine must be provided with a leg
and must be kept in good working conditions.
3. The jacklegs and cutters must be provided with water sprinklers.
4. The minimum water pressure drills must be 3 kg per square centimetre.
5. Before and during loading and dumping of products (ore, waste), these must be
adequately moistened, except when other more efficient substances for the
suppression of dust are used or when those products are sufficiently wet.
Article 295
Protection against dust after blasting
1. The number of blastings per day depends on the pollution conditions due by dust
and fumes in the workings.
2. In lack of other means to satisfactorily lower the dust levels, it is prohibited to

blast more than once a day.

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3. In underground works blasting must only be done at the end of each shift, and
only the indispensable workers for that purpose may stay underground.
4. In cases where, apart from the conditions referred to in the previous numbers,
blasting operations must occur for safety reasons or organization of work, those
operations can be authorised as long as the safety of the workers is safeguarded
and ventilation is ensured.
5. Between blasting time and the entry of the workers to the areas affected by the
pollution resulting from blast, there must be an interval of sufficient duration.
6. Before blasting and, whenever necessary, the areas close to the working face,
must be adequately wet along a minimum length of 10 m.
7. In dead-end working faces a water sprinkling system must be foreseen that

prevents the dust propagation proceeding from the blasting. The entrance to the
face may only occur after a qualified worker has certified the absence of danger.
Article 296
Prevention against Occupational Diseases
For the prevention of occupational diseases, the legal rules and regulations in force,
about health, safety and hygiene in the workplace, are applicable.
Article 297
Risk Analysis
1. Considering that mining activity is subject to specific risks, sometimes difficult to

foresee and control, in order to ensure the safety of the workers, of workings and
equipment, an analysis of the risks inherent to this activity must be done and
preventive measures must be taken.
2. Whenever it is economically and technically possible, the risk analysis of the

operations, that statistically cause more accidents, must be promoted by the
technical director and by the associations of artisanal miners.
3. A risk analysis of the company must be discussed and analysed with all the
workers, independently of their rank.
4. The competent entity superintending the area of mineral resources can

technically support the associations of artisanal miners and small-scale operators, in
the sense of promoting and encouraging the execution of risk analysis in the mining
areas under their responsibility.
5. The final result of the analysis referred to in the previous number must be
reported to the competent entities for the purpose of control of the analysed
operations.

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Section II
Social Installations
Article 298
Installations for the Workers
1. The workers must have available and at their disposal drinking water in sufficient
quantities.
2. In the workplace when the wear of work clothing is necessary, and if for health or
decency reasons clothes changing is impracticable, there must be independent
cloakrooms (“change rooms”) for each gender, or if only one is possible this must be
of alternate use by gender.
3. The installations for the workers must additionally be provided with:
a) Individual lockers for their disposal, with keys, that allows them to keep their
clothes and personal things in;
b) Sufficient number of wash-basins considering the quantity of simultaneous users,

or showers if the type of activity or the health conditions demands it, both with
hot and cold running water, with adequate dimensions, in independent facilities
for each gender, or if only one installation is possible this must be of alternate
use by gender.
c) Sufficient number of water-closets (toilets) and wash-basins near the resting

areas and the cloakrooms, in independent facilities for each gender, or if only
one installation is possible this must be of alternate use by gender;
d) Equipment that allows the workers to dry their work clothing and footwear.
4. In case where circumstances demands it, and if the workers have been in
contact with noxious substances, with excessively wet atmospheres or with dirt, the
work clothing and footwear must be kept in different premises than those used for
keeping normal clothing and footwear as well as for personal things.
5. The sanitary equipment can, depending on the circumstances, be mobile or be

permanently located on surface.
6. Showers and washbasins areas must grant direct access to the cloakroom.
7. The mining titleholder, depending on the technical/economical conditions, must

provide resting facilities, with seats, for the workers.
8. The mining titleholder must make provision for eating facilities in the workplaces.
9. The resting places or other facilities used for the same purpose must have an
isolated area for smokers.

30th May 2006
Section III
Personal Protective Equipment
Article 299
Information and Training
1. The workers must be informed and instructed about the risks existing in the
workplaces and, in particular, about the consequences of their permanence in
polluted areas when collective protection measures are not enough solution.
2. The use of Personal Protective Equipment demands the instruction of the

workers about its proper use and effectiveness, the information about the
consequences of non-use or improper use.
Article 300
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
1. The Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to be used must be standard make

tested and approved by the relevant entities.
2. The mining titleholder, who must keep them in good operating condition, must
supply the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the workers.
3. For the effects of the present Regulation, Personal Protective Equipments (PPE)
are the following:
a) Work clothing;
b) Helmet / Cap;
c) Goggles and gloves;
d) Masks;
e) Ear plugs/muffs;
f) Boots;
g) Self-rescuers.
4. It is compulsory that the workers use the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
supplied by the mining titleholder.

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Article 301
Work Clothing
1. Whenever the workers are subjected to get wet or dirty, it is their right to use the
adequate clothing and footwear, supplied by the mining titleholder.
2. The workers that perform their activity in open cast mines must be protected, as
much as possible, against weather effects and excessive exposure to the sun. The
protection must be ensured, depending on each case, by shelters or by using the
adequate clothing and footwear.
Article 302
Helmets / Caps
1. In the workplaces comprehended by the present Regulation is compulsory

the use of helmets by the workers in activities where there is the risk of fall of any
materials or tools,
2. In the case where the dispositions of the previous number are optional, the
workers must use adequate head protection for their heads.
Article 303
Goggles and Gloves
1. The workers must use adequate means for the protection of their eyes whenever
risk of damaging the eyesight is present.
2. It is considered as risks to the eyesight the excessive or lack of lighting,

projections of splinters, hailstone, file-dust, soldering sparks, and others.
3. In the performance of any activity susceptible to cause injuries to hands, the

worker must wear protective gloves.
Article 304
Dust Masks
1. The dust masks are distributed freely, individually, and are not advisable for
persons with respiratory problems.
2. The technical director must establish the rules for the maintenance, cleansing
and disinfection.

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Article 305
Self-rescuers
1. The type and usage mode of the self-rescuers in underground mining operations
must be approved by the competent entity.
2. It is compulsory the possession (and eventually the use) of self-rescuers by the

workers involved in underground activities specially when there is the risk of fires,
explosions, or the ore has an oxidizing propensity.
Article 306
Safety Equipment
1. The mining titleholder must ensure that all safety equipment is always in proper
condition to be used, and that the adequate maintenance for its use is done.
2. The mining titleholder must provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the
workers, and must have a specific adequate place identified with signs, for its
maintenance/keeping.
3. The mining titleholder must answer for the improper use of the safety equipment
by the workers.

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CHAPTER XIII
MINE CLOSURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Article 307
Underground Mines
1. The underground mines must not be closed nor abandoned, without executing
the mine closure programme, approved by the competent entity.
2. The mine closure programme must contain the necessary elements in order to
ensure that its implementation, allows the workings abandonment in safe conditions
for people, animals and property.
3. All accesses to workings must be definitely closed to all possible admittances,

with walls, lids/covers of concrete or other resistant materials, or by simple
demolition or waste dumping, in the case of galleries/tunnels, unless there is
advantage in preserving the workings for future interventions.
4. All abandoned places resulting from mining, in susceptible to be submersed

areas, must be cleaned of all contaminant materials and the support must be
removed, collapse the hanging walls under control, as long as this operation proves
to be safe.
5. In underground mines where the controlled collapse is not possible and where it
is foreseeable, that the collapsing of the hanging walls may have substantial
consequences on surfaces the workings must be filled with waste materials before
abandonment.
6. When there is natural drainage through galleries/tunnels or shafts, or when

mining restart is foreseeable after stoppage of pumping, retention basins must be
created for the treatment of the effluents before these run into the surrounding
hydrological environment.
7. An environmental control system must be foreseen and take place for a

duration not less than 10 years, which ensures safeguarding and the absence of
danger of environmental contamination.
8. Flooding of workings must be controlled before their definite closure.
Article 308
Surface Mining
1. Open cast mines must not be closed nor abandoned without being executed and
applied a closure plan approved by the competent entity.

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2. In surface open cast mines where extraction is done on the hill-side, the slopes
next to the vertical plan and those with height over 10 meters must be reduced,
cutting them and rectifying them in a way that the average slope angle is 40 º, and
never higher than 45 º.
3. Where there are protection drainage ditches of the workings and natural
drainage at the bottom, their drains must be kept clean and maintained in order to
keep them functioning properly.
4. The extraction area must be fenced with protection wire mesh for preventing the
admittance and people and animals from falling, and must be duly identified with
signs.
5. A monitoring and control system must be foreseen and installed, and be kept
until it is verified, by the competent entities, that the recovered locations no longer
constitute danger for neither the safety nor the environment.
Article 309
Dimension Stone Open Cast Mines
1. In dimension stone open cast mines of which the closure and environmental
recovery plan is not foreseen in the approved mining plan, it must be promoted its
preparation and presentation before the competent entity.
2. The pit and others excavations of the mine to be abandoned must be shaped in
a way that its inclination angle does not exceed 45 degrees.
3. Before the mining sites are abandoned, to protect them, a solid fence that does
not allow people and/or animals from entering in accidentally must be built and duly
provided with signs.
Article 310
Artisanal Mines
1. The artisanal miners associations must promote the execution of protection and
safety works in all mining areas from which it is intended to abandon, according to
the Environmental Regulation for the Mining Activity.
2. The areas, which due to their size are resemblant to open cast mines, must be
matter of a mine closure plan under the terms in number 1 of the previous article, to
be submitted for approval, by the competent entity.
3. In artisanal mines, the hoisting or access shafts, the hollow or underground

mined areas, must always be backfilled and the slopes that have angle higher than
40 degrees, or stone blocks in an unsafe condition must be scaled and/or barred
down.

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4. In underground mines, around the shafts in which backfilling is not viable, a solid
and visible fence must be installed and kept, in the area that is susceptible to be
affected by its subsidence.
Article 311
Surface Installations
1. Before mine closure and independently of their size, all mine surface installations
must be dismantled, all equipment that may eventually be reused must be recovered
and the buildings must be demolished, unless a nobler purpose has been given to
them.
2. The site must be free of all construction materials, including the bedplates of
machinery, and must be recovered, using for that purpose the stored covering
mould and loose soils or other adequate materials.

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CHAPTER XIV
DIVERSE PRECEPTS
Section I
Discipline of the Mining Activity
Article 312
Inspection
1. In what concerns to mining operations, it is competency of the “Ministério dos

Recursos Minerais” (Ministry of Mineral Resources) and other competent entities,
the inspection for the compliance of the rules enclosed in the present Regulation.
2. Mining installations and equipments, must be inspected by the “Ministério dos

Recursos Minerais” (Ministry of Mineral Resources) and other competent entities.
Article 313
Law Offence and Sanctions
1. Without prejudice of the dispositions about infractions and sanctions enclosed in

chapter IV of the Mining Law Regulation, are still infractions, for the purposes of the
present Regulation, the following:
a) Infringement of any rule regarding safety, health and hygiene of the worker,
enclosed herein or established in specific legislation;
b) Lack of fulfilment of the minimum concentration levels for the oxygen present
in the air, the presence of noxious gases as well as other chemical elements
in concentrations over the maximum limit levels that might affect the natural
work environment, endangering the health of the workers;
c) The use of mercury by artisanal operators in gold processing operations;
d) Non-observance of the safety rules in the conveyance of workers and

equipment, in underground or open cast mining.
2. The non-observance of rules, the absence of a responsible environment attitude,

as well as the lack of respect for the environment in mining operations, in particular
the pollution of the hydric and atmospheric environment, they are ruled by specific
legislations.
3. The infringements referred to above, are punishable by means of fines that may
vary between five and one hundred minimum salaries, depending on the
seriousness of the same, without prejudice to the criminal proceedings, in terms of
the penal law.

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Article 314
Destination of the Fines
The sums of the fines, mentioned in the present Act, must be paid at the “Recebedoria
de Fazenda” (Taxation office) of its respective fiscal area, until the 10 th of the following
month of its collection, being its destination:
a) 40 % for the State;
b) 60 % for the promotion of mining activity, in terms defined by the joint

Ministerial Act of the Ministers superintending exchequer and mineral resources.
Article 315
Legal proceedings
The institution of proceedings of lawsuits related with the infringements referred to

above, must obey the dispositions of articles 99 and 100, both of the Mining Law
Regulation.
Article 316
Disciplinary Proceedings
1. It is competency of the technical director to apply the dispositions referred to in the

previous articles, by means of instituting adequate disciplinary proceedings, if
necessary, in which it is unequivocally demonstrated the practice of the
infringement, when the author of the infringement is the worker.
2. The institution of disciplinary proceedings obeys the Labour Law and it’s regulations.
Article 317
Serious Infringements
1. Serious infringements are those that cause serious accidents, including

collective and mortal accidents or, that cause serious damages to machinery and
installations, which involves the reduction or stoppage of production.
2. For effects of the precepts of the previous number and without prejudice
to dispositions the Labour Law concerning serious infringements, the sanction to be
applied must be equal to the maximum penalty established in the specific legislation
in force.
Article 318
Attenuating and Aggravating Circumstances
In determining the sanctions to be applied, the following must be taken into account and
considered:

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a) The seriousness of the infraction committed;
b) The importance of the damages cause and, in special, the

circumstances in which the facts were produced;
c) The extent/degree of culpability;
d) The economical situation and;
e) The previous conduct of the worker and/or company.
Article 319
Registering of Sanctions
The sanction applied to the infringer must be registered in the respective personal
dossier.
Section II
Final Dispositions
Article 320
Delegation of Powers
1. The technical director of the mining operations and the persons

designated by him for the assignment and conduction of tasks are responsible for
the fulfilment of the rules contained in the present Regulation.
2. The technical director may delegate, in writing, and with the assent of the
competent entity, the powers conferred to him by the present Regulation.
3. The delegates will be accountable to the technical director, for the acts
committed during the exercise of the acting-order as referred to in the previous
number.
Article 321
Doubts and Omissions
1. In everything that is omitted in the present Regulation, internal regulations

adopted by the mining titleholder and, mutatis mutandis, the mining legislation and
labour law and respective regulations are applicable.
2. To the omissions in matter of individual and collective protection of the workers

in mining industries, are applicable, with the necessary adaptations, the dispositions
about health, safety and hygiene of the workers of specific legislation.

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3. The doubts/disputes arising under or in connection with interpretation and

application of the present Regulation are settled by ministerial dispatch of the
Minister superintending the area of mineral resources.
4. It can be made appeal against the dispatch referred to in the previous number,
under the general proceedings.
Article 322
Regularization of Mining Rights
1. The technical alterations imposed due to the implementation of the present

Regulation, must be done based on a program proposed by the mining titleholder
and approved by the competent entity.
2. The program referred to in the previous number must be presented to the

competent entity, within the 90 days after the date on which the present Regulation
is in force.
Article 323
Revocations
Are revoked the “Regulamentos de Segurança Técnica para Trabalhos Mineiros

Subterrâneos e a Céu Aberto” (Regulations of Technical Safety for Underground and
Open Cast Mining Works), approved by the Ministerial Act number 96/81, of the 16th of
December, and also all the legislation that oppose the present Regulation.
Article 324
Date of Enforcement
The present Regulation is in force, on the date of its proclamation in the “Boletim da
República” (Republic Bulletin).
FINAL NOTE OF THE TRANSLATORS
In any event, for legal purposes, this English version of the text should override the
original text in Portuguese.

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ANNEX I: GLOSSARY
For all effects of the present Regulation, the terms, and expressions herein, unless the
context demands it, have the following meaning:
AMA – Artisanal Miners’ Association or Association of Artisanal Miners. (Portuguese

term: AMA – Associação de Mineiros Artesanais).
Auto fetch/Self-prime Pump - a pump that by design automatically primes for itself
and does not unfetch. (Portuguese term: Auto-ferrante)
Auxiliary ventilation – Forced air current flowing from the main ventilation with the
purpose of taking fresh air into the working areas. (Portuguese term: Ventilação
secundária).
Balance weight – Iron part (box) filled with heavy material, suspending at the opposite
end of the hoisting rope, to promote the balance with the cage or skip, when the
hoisting operation is done with only one of these equipments The weight of the balance
weight must be in between the weights of the cage/skip empty and with full load.
(Portuguese term: Contrapeso)
Baluster fence/ Balustrade - Protection made of two rods (metal pipe, or cylindrical
wooden beams) installed from 0,5 to 1,0 m above ground with leads soundly fixed on it
and to each of the rods, and apart of each other in a maximum of 2,0 metres, forming a
protection fence against possible falls. (Portuguese term: Balaustrada)
Biological Agents – Microbiological species, including those genetically modified,

cellular cultures and human germs that are susceptible to originate infections, allergies
or any intoxication/poisoning. (Portuguese term: Agentes Bilógicos)
Blasting Cap (Detonator) - Explosive object composed by a small copper or

aluminium cylindrical shell containing an explosive substance very sensitive to heat.
(Portuguese term: Detonador)
Blowing ventilation – Forced ventilation system on which the fan creates an air
pressure that makes the fresh air to pass through it and flow by the working place in a
higher pressure than the outside. (Portuguese term: Ventilação insuflante)
Bottom charge/load - Type and quantity of explosive, normally of fracturing type, to be

put with the blasting cap/detonator in the bottom of the hole (to charge the bottom).
(Portuguese term: Carga de fundo)
Cage – Rigid Iron box parallelepiped shaped to operate in the winding shaft which is
used for the conveyance of ore mine-cars/tip wagons, materials and people.
(Portuguese term: Jaula)
Cementation - Precipitation of metals dissolved in diluted acids (i.e. copper, from a

copper sulphate solution) with iron or zinc or other specific substitution composites.
(Portuguese term: Cementação)

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“Céu” – Typically Portuguese mining term (meaning “sky”) to name the hangingwall or
roof wall. (Portuguese term: Céu)
Charged/loaded round – Combination formed by charged holes, blasting circuit and

connections (electric or pyrotechnic) ready to be connected to the electric starter.
(Portuguese term: Pega de fogo)
Charging stick (Stemming rod) - A wooden cylinder stick with a sized diameter (of 30
mm, 45 mm or more), which is used for pushing explosive cartridges into shot-holes in
tamping. Its length is approximately the same of the shot-holes (2, 0 and 4, 0 metres),
and it can be made of other kind of material other than wood, which does not produce
sparks or static electricity. (Portuguese term: Atacador)
“Chariot” Trolley - Movable railway platform equipped with two sets of steel-rail
wheels, with or without bogies and provided with coupling system. (Portuguese term:
Charriot)
Chemical Agents – Any substance or chemical compound, alone or in mixture, in its’

natural state or as the result of a professional activity, whether it is intentionally
produced or not, and marketed or not, that might originate a risk for the health.
(Portuguese term: Agentes químicos)
Chute / Loading pocket – Equipment used to control the loading/dumping of material

from an ore/waste pit. Dumping is controlled by means of a door manually or
mechanically driven. (Portuguese term: Tolva; Tolda; Torva)
Colour Coding – Identification painting to be used on the various pipings to ensure that
the workers know the inherent danger of each one of them (and their contents);
(Portuguese term: Código de cores)
Pale blue......................Clean water
Dark blue......................Industrial water
Light brown ..................Clear drainage water
Dark brown...................Mud/Slurries
White............................Compressed air
Red...............................Polluted/contaminated water.
Column charge / load - Type and quantity of explosives, normally much slower and
cheaper, to be put between the bottom charge/load and the tampon/stemming, with the
purpose of fracturing the rock. (Portuguese term: Carga de coluna)
Converging mining (“Counter-attack”) – Mining method where two working faces

advance towards each other in the same direction and alignment, converging to an
intersection point (whether galleries, stopes, drifts, shafts, raises and other).
(Portuguese term: Contra-ataque)

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Crusher - Equipment used for the run of mine ore size reduction by effect of crushing
rock between two steel jaws crushers, one of which is fixed and the other one with
oscillating to-and-from movement. (Portuguese term: Britadeira)
Cutter / Scratcher machine – Machine equipped with a cutting chain lance capable of
opening a groove in hard rock. (Portuguese term: Roçadora)
Cutting – Shape/type of surface mine/pit (in a hollow, in hillside slope, or both).

(Portuguese term: Corta)
Danger – Imminent accident risk or about to be originated. (Portuguese term: Perigo)
Dead end / “Cul de sac” – Underground working with only one access for entry and
exit (inby and outby are one and the same). (Portuguese term: Fundo de saco)
Detonating/ Igniter cord – Thin hollow plastic hose/tube filled with a breaking
explosive used as explosive or to ignite other the explosives, with detonating speed
around 5.000 m/sec. (Portuguese term: Cordão detonante)
Detonator / blasting cap – Detonating capsule. (Portuguese term: Detonador)
Detonators/caps magazine - Solid built building with proper dimensions for the
storage of detonators/caps. (Portuguese term: Paiolim)
Dumper – Industrial loading vehicle specific for extracted waste /ore materials and
without registration plate for road traffic. (Portuguese term: Dumper)
Electric Detonators - detonator made to be activated/used with an electric current of

certain intensity. (Portuguese term: Detonador eléctrico)
Electric starter – Manual electric equipment used to generate the necessary electric
current to fire electric detonators and blast. (Portuguese term: Explosor)
Emergency ways – Ways used for the evacuation of people in case of accident or high
risk, which lead directly to refuge bays/safe places or to the surface, and which are also
provided with proper signalling devices. (Portuguese term: Vias de emergência)
Employer – The mining title/ticket holder that employs one or more workers on mining,
research and evaluation activities, whether on surface, in underground or both.
(Portuguese term: Empregador)
Exhaust ventilation – Forced ventilation system on which the fan creates a depression
that makes the polluted air to flow trough the ventilator/fan. The fan intakes air from the
working places. (Portuguese term: Ventilação aspirante)
Exploration – Set of operations to be done at sea and on ground surface, above it, by
using geological, geochemical and/or geophysical methods, aiming at the localization of
mineral resources. (Portuguese term: Prospecção e pesquisa)
Explosive Dust – Refers to coal dust with a size smaller than 0.5 mm with a content of

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volatile substances higher than 14% of its weight. (Portuguese term: Poeira explosive)
Explosives bag / Explosives box – A resistant bag/sac or box-type magazine with a

security lock/latch used for explosives transportation. (Portuguese term: Polvorinho)
Explosives magazine / powder magazine – Solid built building for the explosives
storage. (Portuguese term: Paiol)
Fire damp (grisu)– Methane-air mixture that becomes explosive when the quantity of
methane varies between 4% and 18%.(Portuguese term: Grisú)
Flashpoint – Temperature above which substances get into combustion. (Portuguese

(Portuguese term: Footwall – The ground of the drifts/galleries/crosscuts or the base of
a geological structure. (Portuguese term: Muro)
Fuse / Firing cord – Flexible cord made of hemp or similar material with an
impermeable coating and the inner filled with black powder having a fixed controlled
combustion speed (normally 1 meter per minute). (Portuguese term: Rastilho)
Guiding – Each of the vertical rails/ropes installed along the full length of the winding
shaft in each side of the cage (in each doorless sides), skip or counterweight, to
maintain their correct position/alignment when moving. Can be made of wooden (10 X 8
cm) or steel beams, rails or steel ropes, and the joints must be grinded to avoid any
salience. (Portuguese term: Guiadeira)
Guidings (Guideway) – Set of guidings fitted in the shaft and for the cage or skip.
(Portuguese term: Guiamento)
Guy Rope – Cable/rope fixed to a tower and to the ground used to hold it and to avoid
its fall. (Portuguese term: Cabo de espia)
Handle/Handhold – A piece U shaped, normally iron made, to be fixed on the walls or

on the support frames for one to secure himself by holding. Must have a minimum width
of 0,40 meters and free depth of 0,10 meters. (Portuguese term: Pegadeira)
Hanging wall / Roof wall – Is the immediate overhead surface of the workings –
gallery, crosscut, working face. (Portuguese term: Tecto)
Headframe - Metallic or concrete structure for hoisting, installed at the shafts collar with
enough resistance to support the maximum load of the cage or skip, equipped with
hoist ropes pulleys, protection beams, unloading and safety systems/devices and end
of run stop blocks. (Portuguese term: Cavalete)
HM – Ministry of Health. (Portuguese term: Ministro da Saúde)
Hoist – Steel made cylindrical or frustum of cone drum, on which hoisting rope is
wound in the engine house, with enough capacity to wind all the necessary rope for the
skip/cage reach the last loading pocket/station. (Portuguese term: Tambor)
Hygienic making / sanitation – Set of procedures which includes washing, disinfection

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and drying of protective, measure or control equipment in order to ensure its use in
hygienic conditions. (Portuguese term: Higienização)
Industrial Mineral – Mineral resource connected to mineral/ore deposit or the product

of its extraction and valorisation. (Portuguese term: Mineral industrial)
Inert Dust – Non-reactive mineral dust, with less than 1% of humidity, without free
alkalis and a silica content bellow 5 %.(Portuguese term: Pó inerte)
“Koepe” type sheave / Pulley Koepe – Large diameter sheave/pulley, with proper
resistance and a groove for support and adherence of the winding rope. The collar must
have enough width/section in order to allow the coupling of the support and adherence
parts and to avoid the chances of the rope skipping or twisting. (Portuguese term: Polie
Koepe)
Leaching – Ore treatment/processing based on useful metals dissolution by using a

proper solvent (i.e. gold with potassium cyanide). (Portuguese term: Lixiviação)
Leg – Compressed air leg to support and push the drilling-machine/jackleg.

(Portuguese term: Muleta de perfuração)
Main ventilation / Main air current – Fresh air current which flows into the main
workings and exits from them, whether natural or by means of main fans (boosters).
(Portuguese term: Ventilação principal)
Maximum Tolerable Limit / Threshold Limit Value (TLV) / Admissible Peak Value –
Maximum acceptable limit of concentration of an agent/element present in the air, water
or soil, above which it is necessary to endeavour corrective control measures.
(Portuguese term: Limite admissível)
Micro-delay (micro delayed) detonator - Electrical detonator with delay for activation
with time gaps measured in microseconds (25, 50, 75, 100, .. μsecs). (Portuguese
term: Detonador microrretardado)
Mine – Any place, excavation or construction where the mining extraction takes place,
including all the infra-structures and terrestrial, superficial, underground, air, river, lake
and sea devices, which are necessary for the its operation, functioning and
maintenance, comprising also the spaces related to the storage of mineral products,
such as heaps, wastes and residues dumps/piles, refuse tips, as well as social
installations/benefits. (Portuguese term: Mina)
Mineral Resource – Designation that includes any solid, liquid or gas substance,
formed in the crust of the earth by geological phenomena or with them related.
(Portuguese term: Recurso Mineral)
Mining – All operations and works related with reconnaissance, exploration and
evaluation, extraction, treatment and processing of mineral resources, including its’
economic and technical use, as well as the necessary or related activities for the
development and marketing of mining products. (Portuguese term: Exploração mineira)

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Mining Law – Law no. 14/2002, of the 26th July. (Portuguese term: Lei de Minas)
Mining Law Regulation – Regulation approved by the Decree no. 28/2003, of the 17th
June. (Portuguese term: Regulamento da Lei de Minas)
Mining operations – Works performed in the scope of any mining activity. (Portuguese
term: Operações mineiras)
Mining operator – The mine titleholder or person by him appointed to proceed to

mining operations. (Portuguese term: Operador mineiro)
Mining pass holder – Person, or association involved in artisanal mining operations, in

the name of whom is kept a mining area also called mining pass area, according to the
Mining Law. (Portuguese term: Detentor de senha mineira)
Mining titleholder – Is the person or entity holding the mining title/ticket, according to
the Mining Law. (Portuguese term: Titular)
MIREM – Mineral Resources Ministry. (Portuguese term: MIREM – Ministério dos

Recursos Minerais)
NDM – National Directorate of Mines. (Portuguese term: DNM – Direcção Nacional de

Minas)
“Nonel” System – It is a system which consists of a detonator fired by an innocuous

explosive charge for people and animals. A polyethylene tube forms it with an inner
lining of explosive which is able to transmit a chock wave strong enough to fire the
detonator/cap which is one of its ends. (Portuguese term: Sistema nonel)
Ore / Ore mineral / Mineral product – Useful mineral substance(s) extracted from a
mineral deposit, with or without processing. (Portuguese term: Minério)
Ore Deposit / Mineral deposit– Ore deposits with economical extraction viability.
(Portuguese term: Jazigo)
Ore piles / Heaps – Form of ore accumulation with a frustum of pyramid shape or
another similar shape built with a minimum of compactness in order to allow the flow of
acidified or not, waters (leaching). (Portuguese term: Medas)
p.p.m. – Element or composite substance concentration measured in parts per million

(1:106). (Portuguese term: p.p.m.)
Physical Agents – Audible acoustic fields, vibrations, electric and magnetic fields as
well as respective frequency combinations, including radiological radiations when
proceeding of mining and processing of radio-active minerals. (Portuguese term:
Agentes físicos).
Piezometric hole – Hole drilled with purpose of inserting an underground water level
probe/sound and for water sampling. (Portuguese term: Piezómetro).

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Pit - Form of excavation of an open-roof exploitation (can be low pressured, flank slope
or mixed). (Portuguese term: Corta).
Platform – Metallic structure, round or rectangular shaped, used as working base in a

shaft or raise, equipped with doors, balustrade, compressed air and water pipes, and a
fixing system on the walls to avoid falling down. (Portuguese term: Plataforma).
Primer – Explosive cartridge with detonator ready to be inserted in the hole to blast
(pyrotechnic detonator with fuse or electrical detonator). (Portuguese term: Escorva).
Prop / Pit prop – Wooden or steel piece /beam, placed vertically or sub-vertically, for
the support of roof wall or of the blocks in falling risk. (Portuguese term: Pontalete).
Pulley block – Device formed by two sets of sheaves/pulleys used to reduce tensile
strain and allow a reduction of the effort in lifting/pulling heavy loads. (Portuguese term:
Cadernal).
Pulverulent – Under the form of powder or with a very fine grain size (i.e. bulk blasting
agent – ANFO). (Portuguese term: Pulverolento).
Pyrotechnic Detonator - detonator prepared to be activated with a fuse (black powder

cord). (Portuguese term: Detonador piotécnico).
Risk – Situation that may lead to an accident. (Portuguese term: Risco).
Round plan / Blasting diagram – Execution plan for blasting with the drilling pattern,
holes diameter, length and direction, type, quantity and distribution of the explosives,
detonators position and type, stemming and fire devices, blasting circuit resistance and
its maximum tolerable limit. (Portuguese term: Plano de tiro).
Safety and Health Committee – Internal service of a mine constituted by

representatives of the mining pass holder, or mining operator, and of the workers, which
is responsible for the aspects connected to mining health and safety. (Portuguese term:
Comissão de Higiene e Segurança).
Safety factor – Factor that service loads must be multiplied by (maximum static load)
for the purpose of calculating and establishing the resistance of the machine parts
subjected to effort, especially tensile ropes/cables. (Portuguese term: Coeficiente de
segurança)
Scaling / Bar down – Operation consisting checking, cleaning and removing all
unsafe/loose stones/blocks which are in the roof/sidewalls or slopes, by making them
fall down in a controlled manner. (Portuguese term: Saneamento)
Scaling / Barring down – Operation performed to “clean” a working face/place

consisting on making fall down unsupported/risky rock blocks. (Portuguese term:
Escombrar)
Self-acting brakes (“para-schutes”) – System assembled in the cage/skip which

allows its automatic safe braking in case of rope breakage, the loosening of the setting

30th May 2006
up or the releasing of the winding drum not impeding its fall in the bottom of the shaft.
(Portuguese term: Pára-quedas)
Shaft station / Receipt – Underground enlargement (or surface platform) placed at a

level at the shaft and constituted by platform, access doors to the shaft, lighting and
signalling devices in order to ensure the loading and unloading of materials, the entry
and exit of personnel operations. (Portuguese term: Receita)
Shaft Sump – Extension (downwards) of the last access gallery to the winding shaft,
with enough length for collecting drainage waters without disturbing hoisting, nor the
safety and stability of hoisting equipment. Normally, in there, is installed the pumping
station and the drainage system of the cage or of the skip. (Portuguese term: Caldeira)
Shaft’s Timber set - Timber frame made with four wooden parts (wooden rafters) set
as four sides of a rectangle, which must be tighten against the sidewall of the shift in
order to avoid falls of ground. It may have a dividing part to set two compartments.
(Portuguese term: Quadro de Entivação em poços ou chaminés)
Sheave – Iron wheel (pulley) with a groove to hold a rope which allows this one to place
its weight and strength on the same plan in opposite directions. (Portuguese term:
Roldana)
Shift – Daily effective work period, also called “relevo” (in Portuguese), corresponding
normally to an 8 hours working period. (Portuguese term: Turno)
Sidewall – Lateral wall/part of a drift or gallery. (Portuguese term: Hasteal)
Signals code – Sound signals (calls/rings) to be used at hoisting and people

transportation; (Portuguese term: Código de sinais)
1 call (ring) STOP
2 calls UP
3 calls DOWN
4 calls Materials Transportation
4 calls + 2 UP with materials
4 calls + 3 DOWN with materials
5 calls PEOPLE (Answer of reception by repeating the code)
5 calls + 2 UP with people
5 calls + 3 DOWN with people.
Skip – Rigid steel box for hoisting of bulk ore/waste in the shaft, provided with a
movable bottom for unloading the materials. It may transport people as long as it is

30th May 2006
prepared for that effect by setting/placing a platform with doors and grates above/on top
the ore/waste compartment. (Portuguese term: Skip).
Skip / bucket – Cone frustum shaped iron bucket, with solid closed bottom equipped
with a hanging bow to connect to a hoisting rope for the purpose of transportation of
personnel or bulk ore. (Portuguese term: Balde).
Slope – Working face of the excavation between two consecutive benches.

(Portuguese term: Talude).
Slope angle - Angle formed by the stope face in relation to the horizontal top line of the
platform, and measured clockwise. (Portuguese term: Ângulo de talude)
Slow (Retarded) Detonator - detonator with delay time intervals between igniting –
time delays in milliseconds (5, 10, 15, 20, 100, 200, mseg..). (Portuguese term:
Detonador retardado).
Subsidence – Decay/abasement of the ground on surface when a fall of the ground

(whether controlled or not) occurs in underground bellow that subsidence place.
Extraction with a controlled fall of the roofwall sometimes originates this phenomenon,
with the formation of a crater on surface. (Portuguese term: Subsidência).
Sump/ (Shaft) Sump – Shaft parallel to the winding shaft (shaft sump), made at
approximately 10 m bellow the bottom of this one, and connected to him by a gallery,
which is used for collecting the mine water and for the installation of a pumping station,
or mining place used as collecting point for drainage water (sump). (Portuguese term:
Albraque).
Tamping/Stemming - the operation of closing a charged hole with chalky products

(such as mould, clay or coarse sand) or water, to avoid the firing gases escape after
insertion, packing and stemming of explosives. (Portuguese term: Atacamento).
Technical director – Competent person with recognized technical capacity and

adequate training, appointed by mining pass holder, or the mining operator, which is
responsible /accountable for conducting the works and for the compliance with the
health and safety rules and regulations. (Portuguese term: Director técnico).
Timber set – Timber frame made with three wooden parts (wooden rafters) set as three
sides of a trapeze (vertical props and cross beam) used to support the roof of galleries,
drifts, crosscuts. (Portuguese term: Quadro de entivação em galeria).
Timber set threshold – Wooden piece placed on the ground to support a timber set.
(Portuguese term: Soleira).
Timbering / packing – Protection system used to support the excavations against fall
of ground/blocks. (Portuguese term: Entivação).
Tolerable limit value / Threshold Limit value (TLV) / Peak value – The maximum
concentration of a substance (chemical element or composite) allowed in the air/water
above which it is considered noxious for the health. (Portuguese term: Valor Limite).

30th May 2006
Train – Set composed of wagons and locomotive duly coupled, with locking, lighting
and braking functional devices. (Portuguese term: Composição/comboio).
Trolley – Electric aerial power supply cable for the mobile equipments, formed by the
power line, the power receiver device with a lance provided with a pressing/spring
device so that permanent contact is established. (Portuguese term: Trolley).
Undermining – Mining stope with its face plan on a reversed slope angle. (Portuguese
term: Solinho).
Washing Pan – Metal or wooden circular pan, with cone frustum shaped bottom, used
for concentration and separation of heavy minerals. (Portuguese term: Bateia)
Wheel crane - Large diameter pulley placed on top of the head frame with a collar
to support and guide the hoisting rope. (Portuguese term: Andorinha).
WHO – World Health Organization. (Portuguese term: OMS – Organização Mundial de

Saúde)
Winch – Hoisting/pulling equipment constituted by a motor (electric or compressed air)

connected to a winding drum and provided with cable grasping system and a reverse
operating command. (Portuguese term: Guincho)
Winch driver – Operator who works/operates with a winch. (Portuguese term:

Guincheiro).
Working Environment - Atmosphere at working place. (Portuguese term: Ambiente de

trabalho).

30th May 2006
OTHER TERMS
(Not included in the Portuguese glossary)
Competent Entity – Entity that superintends the area of mineral resources namely,
licensing, attendance, management, control and inspection of mining activities.
Level station – facilities in the hoisting shaft with load and unload systems, hoisting,
signal and people transportation systems.
Mineral – Useful mineral substance(s) that can be extracted from a mineral deposit.
Ore – Mineral resource derived from a mineral deposit, or the result of its’ extraction
(Run-of-mine or raw ore) or of its’ processing valorisation (processed ore).
Quarry – The join of licensed mineral mass, its’ annexes, the constructions and the
properties connected to mining on surface.
Relevant Competent Entities – Official entities that have direct or indirect connections
with the activities developed on mineral resources and delegated or self competences
at the field of its speciality.
Research and Evaluation (Exploration) – Preliminary mining works, such as ditches,

trenches, drillings, that when complemented with geological, geochemical, geophysical
and laboratorial information, have the purpose of determine the technical characteristics
of a mineral deposit or rock mass.
Reserve – Part of a mineral resource with proved economic viability for mining and
benefaction and/or processing.
Shift Responsible / Shift Overseer / Shift boss – Worker appointed by the Technical
Director, which is responsible for leading the works and workers in the mine or and/or
industrial annexes.

30th May 2006
ANNEXE II – ACCIDENT COMMUNICATION ACCIDENT REPORT FORM
MIREM
ACCIDENT
Tech
in
IDENTIFICATION
 Underground Mine Min
 Open Pit Mine Min
Quarry Inju
Date
Prof
Yea
Date / H

TECHNICAL CAUSES
Fall of ground or blocks 
30th May 2006
Transport by wire rope traction 
WITNESSES
DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCIDENT

30th May 2006

Dec 61-2006 Health &amp; Safety Regs (Mining) (Engl)

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Dec 61-2006 Health &amp; Safety Regs (Mining) (Engl)

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REPUBLIC OF MOÇAMBIQUE

COUNCIL OF THE MINISTRIES

DECREE Nrº 61/2006, of December 26

GEOLOGICAL AND MINING ACTIVITIES

TECHNICAL SAFETY AND HEALTH REGULATION

Draft 1 Revision 1 (English version) ii

Signalling of the Works.....................................................................................................44

Draft 1 Revision 1 (English version) iii

Lamphouse, Lanterns and Lamps...........................................................................................101

Draft 1 Revision 1 (English version) iv

MINE CLOSURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.............................................146

Draft 1 Revision 1 (English version) v

PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS AND DEFINITIONS

1. This Regulation applies for all activities of reconnaissance, exploration,

2. Activities related to reconnaissance, exploration, evaluation and production of oil,

Health and Safety Plan

b) Definition and application of the adequate measures in the prevention of

Draft 1 Revision 1 (English version) 7

Obligations of the Mining Titleholder or Mining Operator

a) Accomplish the dispositions of the present Regulation as well as other applicable

c) Adopt the necessary measures, so that correct organization and effective

ii) Date of birth;

iii) Admission date;

iv) Nature of activity;

v) Date of the medical examination of admittance and subsequent exams;

vi) Medical certificate of aptitude for the work;

f) Promote the cooperation of all workers, in the prevention of professional risks,

Draft 1 Revision 1 (English version) 8

k) Keep in good hygienic and functioning conditions the sanitary installations

Workers’ obligations/duties are:

e) Immediately communicate to the hierarchical superior abnormal situations,

1. The workers have the right to:

Draft 1 Revision 1 (English version) 9

e) The information concerning their health and safety.

2. The representatives mentioned in paragraph b) of the precedent number have the

a) Represent the workers in all that concerns safety and health;

b) Participate in the meetings of the safety and health organizations (committees)

d) Participate in the preparation and implementation of the technical safety and

e) Be informed about the training actions to be conducted by the mining titleholder

Training and Information of the Worker

Draft 1 Revision 1 (English version) 10

Risks and Emergencies

d) In areas susceptible to intense thunderstorms the underground or open cast

Draft 1 Revision 1 (English version) 11

independently, of personnel injuries, resulting in extremely dangerous situations to

4. In the situation of fire, explosion, or in the presence of irrespirable or noxious

Draft 1 Revision 1 (English version) 12

First Aid and Rescue

Draft 1 Revision 1 (English version) 13

WORKINGS WITH EXPLOSIVES

Use of Explosives and Black Powder

1. Without prejudice to specific legislation applicable to transporting, storage and use

6. The use of explosives in bulk is permitted when technical/economical circumstances

7. The black powder should only be utilised in the form of cartridges.

Opening of Explosives Packages

1. In the opening of packages containing explosives, the operator is only allowed to

Frozen or Deteriorated Explosives

1. Gelignite and other explosives, frozen, exuded or deteriorated, cannot be utilised,

Draft 1 Revision 1 (English version) 14

Restrictions on the Use of Explosives

b) To introduce in the same blasting hole, simultaneously, explosive and black

d) To use of normal electric detonators, within minimum protection distances from

e) To smoke during the handling of explosive products in the mining operations.

Dec 61-2006 Health & Safety Regs (Mining) (Engl)

Dec 61-2006 Health & Safety Regs (Mining) (Engl)