Brazil Files Lawsuit Against Mining Giant Vale Over Indigenous Heavy Metal Contamination

Brazilian authorities have filed a lawsuit against mining company Vale, the federal government, and the state of Pará over heavy metal contamination affecting the Xikrin Indigenous people.

    Sign up for the Nigerian Mining Weekly Newsletter
    Get the latest news from the Nigerian solid minerals and mining industry delivered to your inbox.

    The lawsuit, disclosed on Tuesday, alleges that pollution from Vale’s nickel mining operation at the Onça-Puma site has led to dangerous levels of toxic metals in the Cateté River, which runs through Indigenous territory.

    A study conducted last spring by the Federal University of Pará found excessive concentrations of lead, mercury, and nickel in the hair of nearly all 720 Xikrin people surveyed. One teenager was found to have nickel levels over 2,300% above the safe limit, raising serious health concerns, including risks of brain damage and organ failure.

    Brazil Files Lawsuit Against Mining Giant Vale Over Indigenous Heavy Metal Contamination
    FILE – An activist covered in mud poses with a sign that reads “Vale assassin” during a demonstration in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Feb. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano, File)

    The Xikrin community, fearing water contamination, has resorted to using bottled water for their children and purchasing fish from municipal markets. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office is demanding that Vale fund long-term health monitoring for the affected population while calling on the state of Pará and the federal government to ensure proper environmental oversight.

    Vale has denied responsibility, citing expert findings that its mining activities were not the source of the river’s contamination. Meanwhile, Brazil’s Ministry of Health has yet to comment on the case.

      Sign up for the Nigerian Mining Weekly Newsletter
      Get the latest news from the Nigerian solid minerals and mining industry delivered to your inbox.

      Leave a Reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      You May Also Like

      2024 in Retrospect: Nigeria’s Mining Sector Poised for a Sustainable Future

      As the curtain falls on 2024, Nigeria’s mining sector stands at a…

      NEITI: FG Backs Expansion, Pledges Financial Support

      The federal government has pledged ongoing financial support for the Nigeria Extractive…

      African Mining Week to Spotlight Surging M&A Activity in the Sector

      International investors are ramping up their involvement in Africa’s mining sector through…