Mining in Serra do Curral was released with hidden data – 05/04/2023 – Environment

The documentation that supported the authorization given by the MME (Ministry of Mines and Energy) for mining in Serra do Curral, a postcard of Belo Horizonte, omits that part of the area planned to be explored is in the capital of Minas Gerais and in a protected environmental area, as stated The city hall.

Technical note 48/2023 from the SGM (Secretary of Geology, Mining and Mineral Transformation), linked to the ministry, says that the information in the authorization process indicated that mining, in charge of the company Gute Sicht, would take place in the neighboring municipality of Nova Lima .

At the federal level, conducting the procedure that authorizes the exploitation of iron ore in the country is the responsibility of the ANM (National Mining Agency). Once completed, the process is sent to the ministry, which grants or does not grant mining authorization.

Mining authorization, in addition to depending on a federal decision, also requires environmental licensing granted by state governments. In the case of the activity in Serra do Curral, the Federal Police are investigating suspected irregularities in the release of licenses by the management of Romeu Zema (Novo) —Semad (Secretariat for the Environment of Minas Gerais) says that it conducts the licensing processes responsibly.

Based on the SGM technical note, Belo Horizonte City Hall filed a lawsuit in Federal Court in March to annul the secretariat’s ordinance 257, published on November 4, 2021, which gives Gute Sicht authorization to explore the area. The lawsuit has not yet been adjudicated.

The text of the technical note from the federal agency says that “with regard to the statement by the municipality of Belo Horizonte that the mining concession object of ordinance number 257/SGM/MME has its largest portion located within the perimeter of the municipal heritage site of Serra do Curral, it must It should be noted that this issue was not included in the case file when the analyzes were carried out within the scope of this Department”.

The note is attached to the process filed by the city hall to annul the Gute Sicht grant. “The reason for the act was the false information that the undertaking would not take place in the territory of Belo Horizonte, which has 100% of its slope in the Serra do Curral listed as a heritage site”, writes the administration of Mayor Fuad Noman (PSD).

The report got in touch with the ANM on Tuesday (3) for explanations on the reasons why the information about part of the explored area being in a protected area of ​​Serra do Curral within the municipality of Belo Horizonte did not appear in the granting release process for the Gute Sicht. There was no response until the publication of this text.

The report also contacted the Ministry of Mines and Energy, which asked that questions be sent to the ANM.

“The mining process is instructed and analyzed by the ANM which, concluding with the proper instruction of the mining application, submits the process to the Secretary of Geology, Mining and Mineral Transformation, with a proposal to grant the mining concession”, explained the folder.

In a previous question raised by the report about the granting of mining authorization to Gute Sicht, answered on April 24, the agency said it was not possible to say whether the grant would be annulled.

“The process is judicialized, so that the answer to this question goes beyond the ANM’s administrative sphere of action. In addition, the final decision on the granting of the substance in question is not the competence of the ANM, leaving the MME with the final decision on grant or annulment.”

The same question was asked to the ministry at the time, which gave the same answer. “Whether or not the grant will be annulled, we inform you that the matter is in court,” said the folder.

The report contacted Gute Sicht’s lawyer, Guilherme Grimaldi, to explain the data sent by the company to the federal government when requesting authorization to mine in Serra do Curral.

The lawyer informed, however, that he does not act for the company with regard to granting the grant. The report requested contact from the company. There was no answer.

In other attempts to contact the phones and email addresses that appear on the company’s website, there was also no response.

Importance of Serra do Curral

Serra do Curral has its north side facing the south zone of Belo Horizonte, but it is also part of two other neighboring municipalities of the capital: Sabará and Nova Lima.

The area is rich in plant and animal species and in iron ore. There is still a historical question, due to the fact that the capital grew at its feet.

Part of the Serra do Curral is already under protection due to the creation of reserves such as the Mangabeiras park and the Serra do Curral park. However, there are still areas without this protection.