Mining saw “golden years” under Bolsonaro, report says

Environmental surveillance groups Observatório da Mineração and Sinal de Fumaça this week launched the report Dinamite pura: como a política mineral do governo Bolsonaro armou uma bomba climática e anti-indígena (“Pure Dynamite: How the Mineral Policy of the Bolsonaro government set up a climate and anti-indigenous bomb”), in which specialists examine how the measures favoring the mining sector came to be, as well their effects, which still require attention from the current administration.

In the experts’ view, the decisions implemented in the period can be summarized as “the explosive combination of contempt of territorial and human rights and sophisticated corporate lobbying.” The document notes that the implementation of actions of interest to the sector’s investors was made possible thanks to the support of Congress members.

Cited among the examples of supportive moves by Congress is the Bicameral Parliamentary Front on Mining, launched in June 2019 and made up of 236 representatives and senators. The group prioritized, the study says, the mining conducted by small and medium-sized entrepreneurs.

“Golden years”

During Bolsonaro’s four years in power, the document reads, both industrial and illegal mining experienced its “golden years,” as hundreds of billions of reais were invested in the domestic and global markets. Over the course of 84 pages, the authors draw a month-by-month rundown of events such as the collapse of the tailings dam in Brumadinho, Minas Gerais, and the government’s intent of allowing foreign companies to exploit Brazil’s uranium reserves, which add up to some 609 thousand tons.

The year 2019 had not yet come to an end when the Ministry of Mines and Energy was proposing that mining in national forests be allowed. These are areas that should have the special protection of the state, as conservation units.

The report also highlights issues such as the absence of inspectors in certain locations, where illegal practices ran unchecked among criminals in search for metals. One case mentioned involves embezzlement in the states of Pará and Amapá. “Only in Itaituba [a municipality in Pará], on the banks of the Tapajós river, over 18 thousand mining requests are pending,” the text says, conveying how vulnerable the region is, since close by the river live the Kayapó and the Munduruku—two of the three indigenous peoples most severely affected by mining activities, alongside the Yanomami.

The press as enemy

To the judgment of Observatório da Mineração Director Maurício Angelo, a sign that the government’s actions posed threats to the environment and represented a number of rights infringements is the authorities’ attitude toward journalists.

“In a clear and deliberate way they decided not to respond to the press, be it through official channels—their press offices—or by making it very difficult to obtain data through the Law on Access to Information,” said Angelo, who is also a researcher at the Center for Sustainable Development at the University of Brasília (UnB).

Maurício Angelo argues that the current composition of both houses of Congress is not likely to help reverse all the legislation approved during Bolsonaro’s administration or halt other bills under consideration today—like the 2020 bill authorizing exploration on indigenous lands.

“Obviously, despite the presence of lawmakers from the center, center-left, and left, Congress is still mostly right-wing and supportive of these policies protecting the mining industry and agribusiness,” he remarks, adding that the militarization of agencies—like the national indigenous authority Funai itself—also contributed to the plight brought to light in the report.

Regarding how the international community can exert pressure—to the point of actually curbing excesses from mining companies—the director believes efforts are less powerful than in cases involving deforestation alone, for example, despite the strong connection between deforestation and mining.

“As the world has a large demand of these essential minerals, […] mining projects are seen as necessary. Such agreements are not subjected to critique. On the contrary, they are seen as a matter of necessity, a positive thing that must be done regardless of the government, both here in Brazil and overseas—which, of course, brings a number of social and environmental impacts in the future as well,” he stated.

Agência Brasil attempted to reach the press office of former President Jair Bolsonaro, but received no response. The research team also tried to contact former Minister of Mines and Energy Bento Albuquerque, who remained in office for the longest time, from January 2019 to mid-May 2022, to no avail.