Mining royalties could be increased - minister

Brazil could ask mining companies to give a portion of output to the government, newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo reported citing mining and energy minister Edison Lobão.
New regulations currently being developed could also see mining royalties increased.
Current mining royalties of around two percent are insufficient, Lobão said, noting that mining royalties in other countries were sometimes as high as ten percent.
Brazil currently charges a 3% royalty on sales of aluminum, manganese and potassium, 2% on iron, coal and fertilizers, 0.2% on gemstones and 1% on gold.