Vale ordered to compensate indigenous tribes in Brazil (Mining-Technology – November 20, 2018)

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A Brazilian court has ordered multinational metals and mining company Vale to pay compensation to two indigenous tribes living in the northern state of Pará for damaging the health of local people and the environment.

The court has also ordered the company to suspend its nickel-extracting operations in the region, Reuters reported.

As per the order, the company needs to fulfil certain environmental requirements and submit plans to mitigate and compensate indigenous peoples before resuming iron or nickel mining operations at its Onça Puma project, according to Brazil’s prosecutor-general’s office.

Meanwhile, Vale is planning to appeal the court decision. The company is required to pay damages of more than R$100m ($26.6m). The order includes payment of a minimum wage to each indigenous person affected by the company’s operations.

The Onça Puma mining unit contributes around 10% of Vale’s total nickel production. Production from the operation stood at 6,100t of nickel in the third quarter of this year, Forum Magazine reported. In a statement, Vale said: “The decision … does not bring anything new to a case that is still ongoing.”

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