ESG

Environment

Dams are an inherent part of aluminium mining and production, and one with significant potential impacts. To prevent dam incidents, these structures need to be maintained in good condition, constantly monitored and kept compliant with applicable regulations.

Waste dams

CBA operates six dams in the municipalities of Alumínio (SP), Itamarati de Minas (MG), Miraí (MG) and Niquelândia (GO): two are for water impoundment, two are mining dams, and two are industrial waste dams. All dams operated by CBA have been built with appropriate materials and never using waste. Learn more about our dam management activities below.

This program is active in the following SDGs

(Sustainable Development Goals)

Dam Safety Committee

CBA’s Dam Safety Committee holds weekly meetings on data management. We also have dedicated dam safety personnel, and are advised by independent dam safety consultants. Our dam safety procedures include maintaining alarm and video monitoring systems operational at all times, registering and training residents and employees in self-rescue zones, and conducting emergency evacuation drills on a regular basis.

Our 2030 Goals

Eliminate waste disposal in dams.

Send 100% of dry red mud residue for use in cement production and other applications.

What we're doing

Mobile beneficiation

In a collaboration with the Federal University of Viçosa, our operations in Zona da Mata are testing a small-scale mobile beneficiation plant that allows mined ore to be processed directly at the mine site, without having to be transported to distant facilities. The system operates as a closed circuit and allows unusable ore to return to the original soil, accelerating the reclamation process and avoiding the need to store tailings in tailings dams.

What we're doing

Filter press

A drier dam is a safer dam. CBA is investing R$ 298.3 million a in filter-press project that will introduce a new residue disposal method at the Palmital mine in Alumínio (SP), switching from wet disposal (45% solids) to dry disposal (75% solids). Construction of the filter press began in 2019 and is scheduled to be completed in 2024.

What we're doing

From residue to product

CBA is currently carrying out studies toward the reuse of bauxite mine tailings and bauxite residue—which are currently stored in waste dams—in the production of building materials and cement, respectively.