Poços de Caldas
Environment Protection

By following regulations and techniques that are aimed at reducing the impact of the mining activity on the environment to a minimum, CBA maintains around the mineral bodies control of a system for rainwater comprised of channels, conductors and decantation ponds, thus avoiding solid debris to pollute local rivers and streams. In addition to that, other measures help minimize environmental impact such as the moistening of gravel roads to reduce dust, the monitoring of smoke emissions from trucks and tractors and the strict control of such equipment to avoid lubricants and fuel spilling. It also worth to mention the Emergency Brigade, which is trained and always ready to intervene, for instance, in forest fires and large oil spills.

Mined areas are rehabilitated in order to recover stable conditions and to allow quick integration back to local landscape. They undergo revegetation through the adoption of the best environmental techniques and practices, which comprise all the necessary stages to shape a more natural and sustainable environment. For that purpose, CBA maintains a tree nursery that has an annual production of 120,000 tree seedlings, most of them from native species of the Planalto de Poços de Caldas region. Not only is this amount enough to provide for CBA’s reforestation needs, but also for distribution between local communities and municipalities that are engaged in environmental initiatives.

Both the rehabilitation of mined areas and the complementary activities are designed to comply with applicable legislation and the best available practices. In addition, they count on the cooperation of one or more government agencies, such as state education and environment agencies.

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