On October 31, in Alvinas (MG), environmentalists submitted to the Minister of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira, a letter expressing their concern about the exploration of important minerals in the south of the state of Minas. According to one of the signatories, physicist Daniel Teagel, of Caldas, a uranium exploration project, started in 1977 by Nuclearas (the predecessor of Indústrias Nucleares do Brasil, INB), left as a legacy a series of dams containing heavy metals and radioactive materials in the same area.
“There will be 10 million tons of land moved and transported annually,” explains Tigel. He added: “We do not oppose this activity, which can bring resources and generate jobs and investments to the region, but we cannot abandon due attention.”
Environmentalists are demanding more in-depth independent studies, as well as greater compensation from companies to municipalities. “Residents are dissatisfied with the same promises of ease of development, due to mining, that have been made to cities in Minas Gerais since the era of the military dictatorship,” says Tiago Mafra, a member of the city council of Pocos de Caldas (PT).
CEOs Marcelo Carvalho, from Meteorik, and Klaus Petersen, from Veridis, said that there will be complete environmental integrity in the projects and that they will adhere to all the requirements set by the 1988 Constitution for the Protection of the Environment.
Caldas Mayor Ailton Pereira (MDB-MG) says current environmental legislation is more stringent than when Nuclebrás was installed and that the projects so far comply with all the rules. “Moreover, in the report issued by the National Commission for Nuclear Energy (CNEN), technicians point out that in all tests, the rare earth exploration activity did not exceed permissible radiation levels.” “Counterparts are still discussing with mining companies,” said Pocos de Caldas Economic Development Minister Franco Martins, as agreements to develop this type of project could be concluded even during the process.
Regarding the legacy of uranium mining, the institute stated that it “carries out continuous monitoring (…) in order to protect the environment and ensure the health of the residents of the region.” The Ministry of Mines and Energy did not comment.
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