20/12/2017
Last week Samarco continued the environmental licensing process for the concession of the licenses for the Germano Complex which were suspended after the Fundão Dam break. Three public hearings were held in Matipó (12/5), Mariana (12/6) and Ouro Preto (12/11), at which roughly 2500 people participated. The Environmental Impact Study (EIA) and its respective Environmental Impact Report (RIMA) were presented at the hearings. The studies include the approval of existing structures, emergency projects carried out in Samarco’s dam area and the adoption of solutions for the treatment of tailings. Click here to see the video of the project presented for the company’s return to operations.
Mayors of the cities of Matipó, Mariana and Ouro Preto, community residents, suppliers, representatives of the Brazilian Mining Institute (Ibram), the Union of the Mineral Industry of the State of Minas Gerais (Sindiextra), hired companies, resident associations, NGOs and other civil society groups were present at the hearings.
Full videos of the hearings are available at the links below:
Obtaining the LP + LI for the Alegria Sul pit
On Monday, December 11, the licensing process of the Alegria Sul Tailings Disposal System was discussed at the 17th Meeting of the Council of Mining Activities (CMI) of the State Environmental Policy Council (COPAM). At the meeting, the Preliminary License (LP) and Installation License (LI) for the Alegria Sul pit were approved and will be granted with four additional conditions in addition to those previously established by Semad. After the emission of the licenses, the pit will go through a preparatory stage of an estimated duration of 6 months, after which the Operation License (LO) will be granted.
Return to operations
The LP and LI licenses alongside the LOC will allow Samarco to resume production gradually, at 26% capacity. The LOC is following conventional steps after the hearings and is currently in the environmental agencies’ evaluatory stage. Therefore, there is not an estimated date to end the process, and consequently, to resume operations.
