Kaolin pipeline on Quilombo land in Moju, Para, Brazil

Quilombola´s communities against a pipeline that leads to the loss of 20% of their territories. In 2011, the Federal Court in Belém (PA) condemned VALE to pay monthly damages to families affected. In 2012, Vale sold the CADAM to KaMin company

Description:

The 674 quilombolas or Maroons families living in municipality of Moju are suffering the negative impacts of the kaolin transport by Vale. The kaolin is explored by CADAM, a subsidiary of Vale, in Vitoria do Jari and transported by a pipeline to Barcarena, both in the State of Para. According to the report of the Ministerio Publico Federal in Para, since November 2006 six quilombolas communities (Jacundai, Mirindeua, Conceicao de Nossa Senhora das Gras, Santa Luzia, Sao Bernardino and Sao Manuel) had their crops affected by the mining company.

In December 2006, the quilombolas blocked three access roads used by Vale to reach the mining site, in the lands of the quilombo Santa Maria de Tracuateau. The reason for the protest was the lack of compliance by the mining company in accordance with the municipality of Moju, in which it was established that the company would build a Community House for agricultural education and a health post for communities, as well as the recovery of 33 miles of road that cut the quilombo lands and reform of two bridges, which were damaged by mining trucks. At the same time, the Ministerio Publico Estadual has given support for the communities claim to carry out an environmental impact study to assess the activities of the company in the region.

In Moju there is also a large social tension because of the lack of land titles of quilombo lands. Part of the works of the Vale, especially the construction of a new pipeline of kaolin, was being built on the areas of this traditional population. Local media reported conflicts between quilombolas and the Vale, caused by failure to comply with the agreement signed between the mining company and the municipality, as a form of compensation for environmental damage caused to the quilombolas. The quilombolas has already denounced the deforestation of Brazilian nuts trees, the invasion of plantations and purchase of subscriptions to permission of entry of third-party companies in quilombolas lands. In November 2007, towers of power transmission lines constructed by Vale in quilombola lands were destroyed, and the road that connects the construction site of the pipeline and the company was blocked. An agreement with Vale was signed, where it was established that the company would pay for a study of environmental impacts in areas where Maroons live and would rehabilitate families affected by mining works.

In 2011, the Federal Court in Belém (PA) condemned VALE to pay monthly damages to families affected. In 2012, Vale sold the CADAM to KaMin by thirty million dollars.

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Basic Data

Name of conflict:	Kaolin pipeline on Quilombo land in Moju, Para, Brazil
Country:	Brazil
State or province:	Para
Location of conflict:	Moju
Accuracy of location	MEDIUM (Regional level)

Source of Conflict

Type of conflict. 1st level:	Mineral Ores and Building Materials Extraction
Type of conflict. 2nd level:	Mineral ore exploration Tailings from mines Transport infrastructure networks (roads, railways, hydroways, canals and pipelines)
Specific commodities:	Kaolin, Also Known As China Clay

Project Details and Actors

Project details	-Kaolin is a mineral used in the production of paper, toothpaste, cosmetics, and other daily use products. See more -Kaolins are white, friable and refractory clays, composed mainly of kaolinite or aluminum silicates. -The installation of the pipeline and the transmission line represents the loss of 20% of the community's territory (See less)
Level of Investment for the conflictive project	30,000,000
Type of population	Rural
Start of the conflict:	2006
Company names or state enterprises:	Vale (Vale) from Brazil - formerly named Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (Brazil) Caulim da Amazonia (Cadam) from Brazil KaMin LLC from Belgium Pará Pigmentos SA from Brazil Imerys Rio Capim Caulim SA from Brazil
Relevant government actors:	Ministerio Publico Federal - MPF, Ministerio Publico do Estado do Para - MPE/PA
Environmental justice organizations (and other supporters) and their websites, if available:	Local associations of the quilombolas communities, Comisión Pastoral de la Tierra (CPT), Consejo de las Asociaciones Remanente de Quilombolo de Moju. Supporters: Universidad Federal Rural de la Amazonía (UFRA), ONG Amazônia, CPT, Red Brasilera de Justicia Social, ONG Centro de Mídia Independente y el Observatorio de Conflictos Mineros de América Latina (OCMAL)

Conflict & Mobilization

Intensity	HIGH (widespread, mass mobilization, violence, arrests, etc...)
Reaction stage	In REACTION to the implementation (during construction or operation)
Groups mobilizing:	Local ejos Ethnically/racially discriminated groups
Forms of mobilization:	Blockades Creation of alternative reports/knowledge Land occupation Lawsuits, court cases, judicial activism Street protest/marches Property damage/arson Appeals/recourse to economic valuation of the environment

Impacts

Environmental Impacts	Visible: Air pollution, Soil contamination, Deforestation and loss of vegetation cover Potential: Biodiversity loss (wildlife, agro-diversity), Food insecurity (crop damage), Global warming, Soil erosion, Surface water pollution / Decreasing water (physico-chemical, biological) quality, Groundwater pollution or depletion, Mine tailing spills
Health Impacts	Potential: Accidents, Malnutrition
Socio-economical Impacts	Visible: Increase in Corruption/Co-optation of different actors Potential: Displacement, Loss of livelihood, Loss of traditional knowledge/practices/cultures, Land dispossession

Outcome

Project Status	Under construction
Conflict outcome / response:	Compensation Corruption Criminalization of activists Court decision (victory for environmental justice) Court decision (undecided) New Environmental Impact Assessment/Study
Do you consider this an environmental justice success? Was environmental justice served?:	No
Briefly explain:	The companys activities on the site remain and the social and environmental impacts have not been mitigated.

Sources & Materials

References to published books, academic articles, movies or published documentaries

AOLIN EXPLORATION IN THE CAPIM RIVER REGION STATE OF PARÁ
[click to view]

CONFLICTOS PROVOCADOS POR LA ACTUACIÓN DE LA VALE S.A. from the book PACHA: DEFENDIENDO LA TIERRA. Extractivismo, conflictos y alternativas en América Latina y Caribe.
[click to view]

Cuando de infraestruCtura se trata, las osC también tienen voz.

estudio de Caso de inCidenCia medioambiental: mineroduCto en territorio Quilombolo, Jambuaçu (brasil) y el oleoduCto de los llanos (Colombia)
[click to view]

MAPA DE CONFLITOS ENVOLVENDO INJUSTICA AMBIENTAL E SAUDE NO BRASIL. comunidades quilombolas de Moju sofrendo com a contaminacao dos rios e igarapes, em virtude de vazamentos do mineroduto de caulim. Disponivel em:
[click to view]

Folha de Sao Paulo, Vale abandona segmento do minrio caulim
[click to view]

Conselho das Associações de Remanescentes de Quilombo de Moju
[click to view]

Conflicto Minero: Comunidades quilombolas do município de Moju (PA) contra Companhia Vale do Rio Doce
[click to view]

Mineração e beneficiamento de caulim afetam meio ambiente na Amazônia Oriental
[click to view]

Quilombolas fazem protesto contra Vale
[click to view]

Justiça condena a Vale a indenizar 788 famílias quilombolas
[click to view]

Meta information

Contributor:	Diogo Rocha
Last update	18/08/2019
Conflict ID:	215