2023-07-20 17:06:00
Environmental disasters, international pressure and the advance of illegal mining under the Bolsonaro government led the Brazilian mining sector to seek over the last year to reposition its image to increase its reputation for good sustainability practices. If for critics the expression “sustainable mining” is no more than an oxymoron —a combination of opposite words—, the union of the country’s large mining companies has adopted it as a kind of mantra.
The image of the segment suffered a great negative impact with the tragedy in the city of Mariana in November 2015, which killed 19 people, devastated communities, left hundreds of families homeless and ruined the Doce River; and then with the disaster in the city of Brumadinho, which left 270 dead and more human, material and environmental desolation.
In recent years, the expansion of illegal mining, driven by the increase in the price of gold in the international market and the permissiveness of the Bolsonaro government have worsened the situation. Mining companies complain that society often confuses their industrial activity with illegal mining. Last but not least, the demands of the international market regarding the practices and the origin of the minerals exported by Brazil made a change of attitude inevitable.
All this effort raises a question: is there sustainable mining?
For Márcio Santilli, former president of the National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples (Funai) and one of the founders of the Socio-environmental Institute (ISA), “mining is related to a natural wealth that is running out. So sustainability is questionable, because you take something away from nature forever, the natural base is running out over time. No matter how long the project is — a deposit can last a hundred years — what remains there? The examples we have are not very good,” concludes.
Translated by José Alberto Gutiérrez
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