Dövlət Mineral Xammal Ehtiyatlarından İstifadə Agentliyi

International cooperation

To ensure the adoption of best practices as well as to initiate and develop relations in the field of subsoil use the State Agency for the Use of Mineral Resources cooperates with relevant agencies of different countries. The Agency also acts as a liaison between international organizations, foreign investors and local operators interested in investing in the country's mining industry and cooperating with local operators, and supports foreign organizations and investors in this area.

The Agency is currently in talks with the World Bank, the British Geological Survey (BGS) and the Committee for Mineral Reserves International Reporting Standards (CRIRSCO) to improve subsoil use legislation, digitize the geological database, apply technical standards to the mining industry, switch to the electronic reporting system and integrate it with relevant government agencies (Unified Database), align land reclamation measures with international standards, establish a monitoring system (state-of-the-art land management), create geological maps and an interactive GIS database.

The application of CRIRSCO standards, considered to be the most advanced standards in the mining industry, will give an impetus to the development of mining in our country. The main objective of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Committee for Mineral Reserves International Reporting Standards (CRIRSCO) is to develop and introduce national standards for the submission of reports on geological exploration results that would be aligned with CRIRSCO requirements and allow Azerbaijan to become a CRIRSCO member. CRIRSCO will play an invaluable role in developing international reporting standards on the results of geological exploration and mineral resources. The State Agency for the Use of Mineral Resources has been designated as the National Accountable Organization for negotiations with CRIRSCO.

The Agency also promotes the application of the innovative "ORIS" model in our country. "ORIS" was established by "LafargeHolcim", the world"s leading manufacturer of building materials. "ORIS" provides unique opportunities with regards to, inter alia, reduction of additional costs related with construction material parameters, risks, claims, delays and investments. "ORIS" is a digital platform that provides suppliers with more sustainable programs with optimal solutions for the local environment with a focus on sustainability and long-term planning.

Based on international experience, the Agency has identified two strategic goals - short - (2021-2022) and long-term (2022-2024) - to meet its objectives in the field of subsoil use. Short-term goals include improving legislation based on best practices, developing (by a joint working group) of a plan to remedy the operators that have committed violations and proposing it to the government, implementing the project on "Minerals Information System on raw materials", creating the "e-xammal" platform (Digital database of raw materials), applying the innovative "ORIS" model, developing a single database, initiating the procedure for a fully-fledged accession to CRIRSCO and establishing cooperation with Turkey's Airborne Geophysical Survey. Long-term strategic goals include the establishment of a roadmap in this area, cooperation with local and international universities, creation of geophysical and geochemical maps, establishment of a mining community, improvement of legislation to apply CRIRSCO international standards, establishment of a geological survey agency, establishment of an innovation center for the mining industry, establishment of a National Geological Digital Information Center, a digital Geological Information System (GIS), an electronic auction platform and a Development Fund for Mining Industry.