Rucom – National Mining Agency

The National Mining Agency is the government entity responsible for administering, regulating and controlling all activities related to mining in Colombia, from granting mining licenses to controling the minerals trade. To fulfill this purpose the National Mining Agency (ANM), formerly Ingeominas, has created the National Register of Minerals Traders or RUCOM. A technological tool where traders must register, them being companies or single persons wishing to trade minerals in the country. According to the ANM the application of the RUCOM provides greater transparency to the trading activity of minerals in Colombia.

The requirements for registration are:

• Name (single person or company).
• Identification number if single person wishing to enroll.
• Single Tax Registry (RUT).
• Certificate of existence and legal representation, dating to the date of issue not more than thirty (30) days, in the case of companies.
• Primary residence and registered address.
• Balance Sheet and Income Statement duly certified and audited, along with your notes, cut at December 31 of the preceding year, in the case of companies.
• Resolutions issued by the tax authority DIAN, in the case of international trading companies that authorizes this activity.
• Demonstration of economic capacity to fulfill the trading activities of minerals, which must be supported in accordance with the criteria set for that purpose by the National Mining Authority.

This last requirement shall be due from January 1st 2017, to minerals traders registered to date in the RUCOM, those who have started the process of registration and those requesting registration from the date of entry into force of Decree 0276 2015.

Many informal emeralds traders consider the measure a barrier to the trade and have raised protests against the ANM. In response to these protests the Agency has changed the required documentation so that most traders can register in the RUCOM as the government maintains that the application of the measure brings benefits for both the trader and the State.

Mensal Emeralds SAS is a company registered in the RUCOM and certified by the National Mining Agency as an emeralds trader.