LIMA - A Peruvian congressional committee on Friday took an initial step to extend a scheme that allows temporary permits to be given to small-scale informal miners, controversial due to accusations by opponents that it has been misused to expand illegal mining.

The Energy and Mining Legislative Committee approved a bill that would extend for six months a registry called REINFO, which allows small-scale miners to continue working while seeking formalization.

The proposal, which would be a one-time extension, will now be sent to the rest of Congress for a full vote.

REINFO, which has already been extended multiple times, expires on Dec. 31. The government has pushed for the scheme to end, claiming that its misuse over more than a decade has caused illegal mining to increase.

On Tuesday, Energy and Mines Minister Romulo Mucho was removed from his post by Congress amid protests by small-scale miners who are demanding REINFO be extended by two years.

Peruvian small-scale miners, mainly gold miners, have rejected the bill as inadequate and have been blocking a key southern transport route for over a week. In Lima, hundreds of artisanal miners have camped out in front of the legislature. REUTERS