Carajas mining complex
The Carajas complex is a vast initiative to exploit resources in northern Brazil`s Amazon jungle.[1] The complex includes the construction of infrastructure like dams, roads and railways. It also includes a set of open-pit described as the largest, or second largest in the world.[2][3]
Charcoal burning
Most steel foundries use coke to fuel their blast furnaces. Brazil planned to harvest rainforest trees to turn into charcoal, to fuel its blast furnaces.[4] Turning logs into charcoal is a highly polluting cottage industry.
The Vale open-pit iron mine
The iron mines are operated by mining comglomerate Vale.[2][3] Vale management assert that they will be able to restore the rain forest when mining is complete, and call the project environmentally sustainable.
The deposit was discovered in 1967.[3] The Ore is among those with the highest concentration of Iron in the world. The mine produced 109 million tonnes of ore in 2011.
China is the mine`s largest customer.[5]
In 2011 archeologically sensitive remains were found in caves on land that was scheduled to be mined.[3][6][7]
References
- ↑ Charles Secrett (1988-06). "The Last Frontier". The New Internationalist. http://www.newint.org/features/1988/06/05/frontier/. Retrieved 2012-06-24. "This $62 billion complex of mines, dams, towns, roads and railways, farms and forestry plantations was designed to bring prosperity to the region and haul Brazil's economy out of debt and into the 21st century. In return for credit from the World Bank, the European Community (EC) and Japan, it was hoped that exports of minerals, agricultural products and timber would repay the loans."
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 David Shukman (2012-06-19). "Inside the world's largest iron ore mine". BBC News. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18493153. Retrieved 2012-06-24. "The owners, the Brazilian company Vale, say they are operating the mine in a sustainable way and will restore the landscape and trees."
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 David Shukman (2012-06-19). "Forests and caves of iron: An Amazon dilemma". BBC News. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18483647. Retrieved 2012-06-24. "The Carajas complex is the largest iron ore mine on the planet and at any one time 3,000 people are toiling here in the tropical heat using a fleet of giant machines including trucks the size of houses."
- ↑ Philip M. Fearnside (1989). "The Charcoal of Carajás: A Threat to the Forests of Brazil's Eastern Amazon Region". 18. AMBIO. p. 141-143. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4313548. Retrieved 2012-06-24.
- ↑ Joe Veroni (2012-05-08). "Vale CEO says China will want more iron ore, despite analyst reports". EPCM World. http://www.epcmworld.com/profiles/blogs/vale-ceo-says-china-will-want-more-iron-ore-despite-analyst-repor. Retrieved 2012-06-24. "Vale is responsible for nearly a third of the world’s one billion tonnes of iron ore exports, while China is the world’s biggest importer of the mineral accounting for approximately 60% of the world’s demand."
- ↑ Anthony Boadle (2011-10-02). "Amazon caves may block Vale iron-ore mine - paper". Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/02/us-vale-mine-caves-idUSTRE7911L920111002. Retrieved 2012-06-24. "Vale (VALE5.SA), the world's second-largest mining company, may be unable to develop a massive new iron-ore mine in the Amazon after archeologically and environmentally sensitive caves were found at the site, the Estado de S. Paulo newspaper reported on Sunday."
- ↑ . http://www.smh.com.au/business/world-business/amazon-caves-may-block-vale-iron-ore-mine-20111003-1l4a3.html. Retrieved 2010-10-.
