Brazil: Mining Firms Eyeing to Expand to Protected Indigenous Lands in Amazon Rainforest

Major mining firms are eyeing to expand to protected indigenous lands in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, a report said.

The report by the environmental group Amazon Watch and the Association of Brazil's Indigenous Peoples (APIB) revealed Tuesday that the mining firms are supported by billions of dollars in funding from international banks and investment firms.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has pushed to open protected lands to mining and agribusiness. The report noted that firms are betting Bolsonaro will succeed in passing legislation introduced by his government that would eventually allow them to operate on indigenous territories, according to France24 News.

In a statement, Ana Paula Vargas, Brazil program director at Amazon Watch, said the environmental damages and threats against the lives of forest peoples by mining activities are brutal and only worsened during Bolsonaro's administration.

Vargas noted that the Amazon rainforest is at the tipping point of ecological collapse. She added that they need to involve all the key players behind the industry.

Experts were pushing for the preservation of indigenous lands, saying it is among the best ways to protect the world's biggest rainforest, a key resource in the race to curb climate change.

Mining Companies Are Targeting Amazon's Indigenous Lands in Brazil

Nine major mining companies have filed applications seeking authorization to mine on indigenous reservations in Brazil, even though that is currently illegal, the report said.

The mining companies were considered key players in extracting rare metals for electric vehicle batteries as of November. According to Inside Climate News, the companies had active applications to expand operations into or near Indigenous territories in Brazil's Amazon rainforest.

APIB released the report noting that U.S.-based financial institutions are among the top funders for the venture. The report named nine mining companies that included Vale, Anglo American, Belo Sun, and Glencore.

The companies reportedly received a total of US$54.1 billion in financing from international investors for their Brazilian operations over the past five years. However, Vale denied the claims stated in the report, while the other companies have yet to comment on the matter.

AngloGold Ashanti, Rio Tinto, Potássio do Brasil, and Mineração Taboca and Mamoré Mineração e Metalurgia (both from Grupo Minsur) were also named in the report.

Sonia Guajajara of APIB's executive coordination said that the Brazilian government and mining companies are trying to advance a "project of death," according to Mining Watch News.

The report noted that U.S. firms Capital Group, BlackRock, and Vanguard collectively invested $14.8 billion in the mining companies. Meanwhile, the top U.S.-based creditor Bank of America, provided $670 million in loans and underwriting services to the companies. Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase were also named as top creditors.

Mining Companies Hold Active Applications to Explore Indigenous Lands in Brazil

According to the report, the companies had 225 active mining applications to Brazil's National Mining Agency (ANM) as of November that overlap 34 indigenous lands, for a total area more than three times the size of London.

The report noted that Vale had the highest number of applications with 75, followed by Anglo American with 65. These mining companies have reportedly caused environmental damage in the past that had stirred social discontent and contributed to a series of destruction in the Amazon rainforest.

Vargas said the companies have all made environmental, social, and governance announcements regarding how they will "protect the Amazon and Indigenous rights." However, she noted that their research showed that what they committed was "not true."

Vale was allegedly responsible for polluting the Catete River with lead, mercury, manganese, aluminum, and iron from its nickel mining project.

Anglo Americans polluted waterways and destroyed springs with their operations, while Belo Sun, which has 11 active mining applications covering indigenous lands, allegedly harassed and forcibly evicted residents in territories it mined for gold.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by Mary Webber

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