Future Use Study of the Águas Claras Mine

The world is going through a period of rapid socioeconomic, environmental, technological, and cultural changes. The intensity of these changes, which affect all living beings and the planet on an unprecedented scale, brings, in itself, a strong sense of insecurity.

Particularly in recent months, the spread of a global pandemic – an experience never lived by humanity in its 50 thousand years of existence – leads us to rethink our ways of interacting, consuming, working. If it is certain that it is too early to assess the impact of this profound experience on the functioning of society, concepts and values ​​such as cooperation and sharing, integrated to the collective dynamics seem to be fundamental to face the challenges that arise – after all, at the same time this event gives us the awareness that we all live in the same house.

With this perception, and aware that the venture that VALE intends to implement in the area of ​​the Águas Claras Mine – MAC may represent a unique opportunity for the development of an innovative project, conceived through an integrated vision for local development, the GAIA Consortium – in Greek mythology, Mother Earth, the primordial element that creates life – is developing a complex and multidisciplinary study.

The Gaia Consortium

To achieve the objectives of generating shared value with the communities directly and indirectly involved in the project, making VALE a partner and ally of local development, making the process of closing the MAC and the future use of the area an example of good practices , innovation and sustainability, the GAIA Consortium brought together, with a collaborative and systemic vision, companies and consultants from the environmental, social, legal, risk assessment, infrastructure and economic areas.

In addition to Raízes Sustainable Development, four other companies are part of the consortium:

• Gérance Management and Consulting: a company specialized in offering strategic and integrated solutions in the area of ​​projects and construction management – the companies that make up the GAIA Consortium, as well as the consultants selected by them to work on the project, are distinguished by their expertise, innovative solutions and technical excellence in the design and implementation of projects similar to that proposed by VALE.
• GITEC Brasil: a socio-environmental project consulting company that, since 2013, connects local and global knowledge for sustainable development, creating a large portfolio of projects on different topics, such as mitigation and adaptation to climate change, protection and sustainable use of the ecosystem and the well-being of the community;
• BHZ Architecture and Management: architecture and urbanism company that, since 1993, elaborates and manages medium and large projects in the commercial, residential, corporate, and institutional areas, operating throughout Brazil.
• BVP Engineering: a company that develops geotechnical engineering projects (from conceptual to executive engineering), consulting, issuing reports and audits in several market segments, among which the sectors of industry, energy and infrastructure stand out.

These studies, expected to be completed in December 2020, are the first phase of a participatory process of building a significant use for the territory, with value shared with society.