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SIGTIM
Efficiently Manages Mineral Titles Mining and the Competition for Development In many countries mining is not only a key economic sector, it may be the most important one. In some African countries, mining activity generates perhaps as much as half of all exports. In these countries there is global competition for direct investment, which becomes more and more important for these countries’ general industrial development. Apart from an enabling legal mining framework, one factor is crucial for attracting international mining investments: the efficient, reliable and transparent management of mineral titles. The German company GAF AG was appointed to develop and implement computerized and nationwide mining cadastre systems for two countries in Africa: Namibia in the southwest portion of the continent, and the island nation of Madagascar off the southeast coast.
SIGTIM & CTMS: Computerized Mineral Title Management SIGTIM is an integrated and cost-effective solution for the computerized management of mineral titles. SIGTIM stands for "Système Informatisé de Gestion des Titres Miniers," translated into English as "Computerized Mineral Title Management System" (CTMS). In short, SIGTIM and CTMS are different names for the same innovative solution, offering comprehensive functionality and leading-edge technology. SIGTIM is the customized solution for Madagascar, while CTMS is the tailor-made version for Namibia. "First Come, First Served" in Madagascar In an assessment report about Madagascar the World Bank wrote that, given the country’s weak domestic savings levels and its lack of access to mining technology, only private foreign investment could finance large-scale mining in Madagascar. However, foreign investments have yet to materialize because of continued state intervention in the sector, the existence of cumbersome regulations, and a lack of incentives for the development of mining operations. Serious institutional problems include overlapping mandates and responsibilities, conflicts of interest, and political interference in administrative and technical work. A great number of deficiencies were observed in the irregular application of the "code minier." Different interpretations existed from one region to the other, a long backlog of unprocessed applications sat idle, arbitrary criteria were created for the award of titles, and an irregular status of the cadastre made it impossible to derive accurate statistics. To address these deficiencies, the World Bank has defined and is funding the Mining Sector Reform Project, with its broad objective to significantly increase investment and growth in the mining sector within Madagascar. Focal areas include institutional strengthening, improvement of the legal framework, and the establishment of an up-to-date and reliable mining cadastre and information system. Mr. Paulo de Sa, task manager at the World Bank’s Mining Department said, "SIGTIM has improved substantially [the] governance in the mining sector through the establishment of a non-discretionary and transparent system to grant, manage and cancel permits, [one] that has obtained the approval of all mining operators." Since early in 2000, GAF has been in charge of a three-year project to develop and implement such a system for the whole of Madagascar, to be administered by the Ministry of Energy and Mines in the capital city of Antananarivo, plus throughout its regional offices. This activity is a key component of the "Project for the Strengthening of the Mineral Cadastre and Registration System in Madagascar," funded by the International Development Association (IDA), World Bank Group. SIGTIM is now fully validated and operational, having passed its final acceptance in February 2002. SIGTIM is set up in the central office of the Mining Cadastre in Antananarivo, as well as in six regional offices. SIGTIM governs all transactions during the lifetime of a mineral title, in a comprehensive and highly reliable way. The principle of "first come, first served" for the award of titles can now be implemented throughout the country. SIGTIM was conceived especially for the new legal framework in Madagascar and allows the efficient and reliable management of mining titles for the benefit of the administration, miners and investors as well for the public at large. Institutional strengthening, training and database generation are an integral part of ongoing SIGTIM activities, with a one-year maintenance period now in effect after the successful commissioning of SIGTIM. Namibia: CTMS Up and Running Since 1996 In Namibia, mining activities contribute about 20 percent to the GDP (gross domestic product) and account for some 49 percent of the value of exported goods. The management of several thousands titles, more than 14,000 farms and seven different types of mineral rights required a clear administration strategy and an efficient management tool. Up until 1996, title management was carried out by a slow, manual system inherited from pre-independence days, one that caused long delays and inconsistencies. To address this problem, GAF AG was appointed to develop and install a robust and comprehensive computerized system (CTMS) for the management of mineral titles in Namibia. This system covers all transactions throughout the lifetime of a mineral title. Title information can be archived and updated, and all required documents are generated by the system. Planning tools, list generators and check routines greatly improve automated title management. Geographic information on the titles, as well as related topics like geology or administrative boundaries, is full integrated and can be visualized, queried and printed in the form of a map. The system is based entirely on industry-standard PC technology and software. The system has been operational since 1996, with ongoing maintenance and continuous support. According to Mr. R. Samuyenga, mining commissioner with the Namibia Ministry of Energy and Mines, "CTMS has functioned without failure since its installation. [It] has significantly sped up the management of mineral titles and greatly facilitates the work of the Mining Commissioner and his staff. The integration of geographical and attribute data, as well as the ability to follow the requirements and procedures of the Minerals (Prospecting and Mining) Act of 1992, has greatly contributed to the success of the system." The European Development Fund financed this project under its SYSMIN program. The Solution in Detail SIGTIM is a computerized, countrywide mining cadastre system that, in an integrated way, covers all transactions throughout the lifetime of mineral titles. The principle of "first come, first served" for the award of titles is implemented, as well as full transparency and efficiency in the handling of mineral titles and applications. SIGTIM provides extensive functionality: Title information can be archived and updated, and all necessary documents including maps are generated automatically. Planning tools, list generators, statistical analyses and watch routines greatly improve the automation of the title management process. Geographic information related to the titles, as well as such topics as administrative boundaries or environmentally sensitive areas, are fully integrated and can be visualized, queried and printed in the form of different sets of maps. SIGTIM is conceived as a powerful information and decision support system; the cadastre itself remains with the paper documents and attached procedures. Because SIGTIM is used to grant legal rights, a great deal of importance is placed on system security and data integrity. Tailor-Made Standards SIGTIM's underlying base technology is set to industry standards, combining robust and cost-effective PC architecture with common, off-the-shelf software that includes a relational database management system (RDBMS) and a geographical information system (ESRI ArcView GIS). At the same time, SIGTIM is an application adaptable to the requirements of the customer and specific national legal and administrative context. The development and implementation of a computerized titling system is a multistage approach that involves a number of activities, including:
Use of the system requires only computer literacy on the Microsoft Windows platform. Outlook In many countries there is a need to improve the efficiency and transparency of the mining cadastre, and to increase the confidence of investors. It is also very important that solutions for computerizing mineral titles management be robust, cost efficient and, apart from a broad range of functionality, easy to learn and to handle. SIGTIM is an innovative, proven solution for the mining cadastre and mineral titles registry, one that can be easily tailored to specific requirements for any mining sector worldwide. About the Author: Dr. Stefan Saradeth is employed by GAF AG (Munich, Germany). He may be reached by telephone at (49) 89-1215-280, or via fax at (49) 89-1215-2879. The company’s Web site is located at www.gaf.de. |
Map
generated by SIGTIM in formats ranging from A3-A0. Cadastral map extract
can be generated in freely selectable scales and in formats from A3-A4.