The government is going to close down mining companies that don't pay surface taxes, and those affected have up to 15 days to regularize their situation.

The Secretary of State for Mining, Jorge Daudo, said, as quoted by "O País", that the measure aims above all to guarantee the sustainability and organization of the sector.

"The truth is that we are cleaning up the mining registry, we are making public the companies that owe the state, and there is internal work being done," he said.

Those companies that don't pay the state will have their licenses revoked," he said.