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Initiative will integrate the company into the National Interconnected System, thus bolstering its commitment to global carbon targets 

Committed to sustainable mining practices in the Amazon, Mineração Rio do Norte (MRN) this week obtained the Installation License (IL) for the Transmission Line Project, whch will integrate the company into the National Interconnected System. By adhering to a more sustainable electricity matrix, MRN expects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 90% in power generation, which represents approximately a 20% reduction in the company's carbon footprint as of 2027, thus securing a more efficient and sustainable operation. The implementation phase of the project is expected to generate around 500 new temporary jobs during construction. 

The 98-km long project runs from the substation in Oriximiná to the future Saracá substation, within the MRN site in the Porto Trombetas district. MRN's Project Implementation Director, Leonardo Paiva, explains that the initiative is the company's main energy transition project, which is aligned with its long-term planning and commitment to environmental sustainability. “This electricity matrix change represents a strategic move for MRN and a legacy for the region. We are officially adhering to global targets by reducing our carbon footprint and promoting local sustainable development,” he says.  

Operating the project

The development of MRN's new electricity matrix meets the future demands of the West Zone Program. In practice, the 230 kV power transmission system will connect the company's industrial facilities in Porto Trombetas, in the municipality of Oriximiná, to the SIN's basic network, via a single circuit, approximately 98 km long. The route has 34 vertices, including 218 metal towers, with technical, economic and socio-environmental benefits in mind. The project study was carried out in two parts, considering the normal stretch and the Trombetas River crossing stretch, due to the particularities of each. 

Operational continuity

The Transmission Line is part of MRN's operational continuity strategy in the region. Today, with a preliminary license issued by IBAMA, the New Mines Project will allow MRN to invest approximately R$5 billion over the next five years, adding more sustainability to the aluminum chain, used on a large scale for essential segments such as energy, transport, construction, packaging, among others. The project will be essential for the company to continue its operations in western of Pará by maintaining an average production of 12.5 million tons of bauxite per year.

The event was marked by celebration and an emotional atmosphere among the participants 

Last weekend, Mineração Rio do Norte (MRN) held a big get-together to celebrate the career of those who have built the company's legacy in the heart of the Amazon over four decades. Held since 1991, the traditional ‘Festa de Homenageados’ [Tribute Party] recognizes employees who have been with MRN for 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 years. They were honored in a ceremony full of appreciation and heartfelt emotions among those who help build the company's history. 

Among the honorees was Daniel Pimentel, the only employee recognized for his 40 years in the “house”, which was one of the highlights of the celebration. He works as a railroad operator, and recalled his career from the moment he arrived in the district of Porto Trombetas, in the city of Oriximiná, where the company is located. “My first day at work was a real joy, with an inevitable motivation to work for a big company. Even though I didn't have much schooling at the time, I managed to become an operator and I saw major changes here, such as the paving of the streets in the villages and the construction of the railroad, the airport and the hospital in Porto Trombetas. These changes have made people more engaged in their work, and I can only thank God and the company for being here,” he stated. 

After living in large urban centers and a life dedicated to mining, Fernando Trabuco decided that he needed to reconcile his career with his family and saw MRN as an opportunity to achieve this goal. After 10 years at MRN, the current Chief Financial, Administration and Human Resources Officer sees his career at the company in a positive way, with a lot of learning and progress. “Each day, I am prouder to say that I am an employee of this company, which has changed my career, my life and the life of my family. Here, the social sphere is an extension of the corporate world, and everything is intertwined. I really want to continue participating in MRN's ongoing evolution, to be part of this great company that makes me so proud and happy,” he said. 

The presence of women 

Natalina Oliveira Couto was another honoree at the party organized by MRN. Having worked for the company for 25 years, she started as a trainee and was later hired, and was one of the pioneering women in the drying department. A challenging job that, with the dedication and unity of the team, she managed to overcome, as well as breaking down stereotypes about the presence of women in mining. “I've always looked for opportunities in the job market that would balance my personal and professional life. Here, at MRN, I found a place where I was able to harmonize these two axes, which gave me a career projection,” said the employee, who is now a manager in the sector where she started in the late 1990s. 

She also highlighted MRN's concern to build an increasingly diverse workforce in leadership positions. “The programs developed by the Company promote female talent, including other pillars such as diversity, inclusion, gender, race and others. Here, we have more opportunities for professional development in positions that were previously occupied mostly by men,” she added. 

For MRN's CEO, Guido Germani, the 'Festa de Homenageados' [Tribute Party] is the company's recognition of those who help build sustainable mining in the Amazon. “Everyone is to be congratulated for building the history of this company. This party crowns the great achievements we've had throughout the year, and there's nothing better than sharing these victories with those who have collaborated for decades on an elaborate operation in the middle of the forest. MRN's history is made up of many people, and our employees are the ones who help us every day to build a positive legacy in the region,” he said.

Developed by MRN, the activities seek to mobilize communities about the risks of fires during the dry season in the region's rivers

In view of the drought affecting the western region of Pará and the consequent increase in the risk of forest fires, the Leme Project, developed by Mineração Rio do Norte (MRN), has intensified its actions in the communities of Bom Jesus, Boa Vista, Ajudante, Batata and Trombetas, located in the municipality of Oriximiná. The aim is to make residents aware of the precautions needed to prevent fires on the banks of rivers and lakes, thus preserving the environment and safeguarding everyone's safety.

Educational workshops and talks are held on the importance of not setting fires during the dry season, when the vegetation becomes extremely flammable. The team has focused on the dangers of the rapid spread of fire in dry weather conditions, which can affect fauna, flora and local communities.

“Wildfires have been very damaging to the health of our region. We need to fight this and make people aware so that they can be partners and also contribute to the fight against fires. For this reason, the Leme Project is of great importance, as the instructors take great care to raise awareness among the participants. You also learn how to navigate along the river and be safer”, said Antônio Matos Figueira, a resident of the Lago Ajudante community, who is taking part in MRN's project activities.

The actions are carried out by instructors who, in addition to workshops, promote playful activities that seek to mobilize the largest number of community members on the subject of safety. Herbert Rezende is one of Projeto Leme's instructors and knows the region well and has noticed the drought, which makes the work of guidance and monitoring even more important. “In September, we had difficulties accessing all the communities due to this situation (drought). We have prepared materials for each theme addressed during the campaigns, and the mobilization of the communities is carried out by the MRN team. We cover topics such as prevention and ways of fighting fire, forest preservation practices and the differences between burning and wildfires”, explained the Leme Project instructor.

The Leme Project was set up 19 years ago and is dedicated to bringing essential information to the riverside dwellers and the community of Porto Trombetas. The main objective is to share knowledge, with an emphasis on river safety, but environmental education also guides the activities carried out by the company. According to MRN's Community Relations analyst, Lenilton Santos de Jesus, the Leme Project's activities are essential for raising interest in navigation and prevention. “We're concerned that people, especially young people, become aware of issues of interest to the region, such as environmental preservation and the fight against fires. This is the role of the Leme Project with the riverside population near MRN,” he said.

The event brought together various sectors of the company and consolidated partnerships with suppliers, employees and the communit

Last week, Mineração Rio do Norte (MRN) held another edition of the Excellence Week. The main objective of the event was to strengthen knowledge, promote integration between the various areas of the company, suppliers and stimulate creativity and innovation, fundamental elements for the continuous improvement of MRN's operations, as part of the event is the Internal Week for the Prevention of Occupational Accidents in Mining (SIPATMIN). 

During the event, there were talks to raise awareness of safety at work and the environment, fun activities, product and service exhibitions, as well as theatrical performances and interactive spaces at the Excellence Fair. The event involved not only the company's employees, but also the local community, reinforcing MRN's commitment to sustainable development and social inclusion. 

The event included an award ceremony for the teams that presented the Quality Control Circles (QCC) projects, made up of MRN employees. These groups stood out for their active participation in the event by contributing innovative ideas and projects to the mining company's operational processes. The CCQs initiative aims to encourage collaboration and problem-solving in order to improve process efficiency, safety at work, environmental actions, cost optimization and greater productivity. 

One of such highlights, recognized by the event organizers, was the optimization of the work involved in cleaning the ore screening screens. This work involved around 6 people and took around 6 hours to complete. Ariclevea Coelho Ferreira, technical manager at the beneficiation plant, was part of the team recognized at the Excellence Week and pointed out that the project created by the team managed to reduce service time by up to 1 hour and involved only 2 people. The measure made it possible to optimize services and send MRN employees to other work networks. 

“We've managed to optimize the workforce and take employees out of the firing line. This gives the team great pride and motivation. That's what CCQ is all about: looking at your area and seeing what can be improved in our routine. Our goal was to reduce service time by up to 50%, but we managed to reduce it by 83% and that's very gratifying. If we hadn't won, we'd still be champions, but with this recognition we feel that it was worth taking part in the Excellence Week and this motivates us even more. I can only thank MRN,” said Auriclevea. 

Wvagno Ferreira, manager of MRN's Performance and Risks area, is one of the creators of this initiative, which began in 2017. For him, the Excellence Week values the talent of employees, while further consolidating ties with communities and building a collective process of innovation and development in the region. “The Excellence Week offers participants an opportunity for professional growth and the recognition provides greater engagement and strengthens the company, the safety in its activities and the environment in which we operate,” he said. 

Raising awareness

Throughout the week, the event also featured lectures on current topics, such as “The Importance of Awareness and Prevention of Domestic Violence: Strategies for Support and Intervention”, given by the Faro City Prosecutor, Osvaldino Lima de Sousa, and the Faro Police Chief, Renan Dantas. MRN addressed the issue at the event to raise awareness among employees, enabling them to identify risk situations and offer support to victims, contributing to building a more equal society. 

“Unfortunately, Brazil is still a sexist country and, in the northern region, this is even stronger. It is of the utmost importance to make everyone aware of equality, especially men and fathers,” said Prosecutor Osvaldino de Sousa. Police Chief Renan Dantas took the opportunity to advise those present on the appropriate channels for reporting the crime of domestic violence. “This is a very timely issue and one that is very present in society. Given that MRN is a giant company, it is important to make everyone aware of domestic violence and the consequences of this act. It is of fundamental importance to know the details of this legislation and the Maria da Penha Act,” he added.

Developed by MRN, the Quilombo Project offers primary services to the most remote locations in western Pará

The Quilombo Project, developed by Mineração Rio do Norte (MRN) in partnership with the Vale do Trombetas Foundation, continues to promote well-being among residents of Quilombola communities in the western region of Pará State. The initiative, which offers primary healthcare services in remote locations, is an important ally for access to quality medical care for people living in isolated areas of the municipality of Oriximiná. 

In recent weeks, the project's medical team has been in communities such as Abuí, Tapagem and Sagrado Coração de Jesus, providing comprehensive care, including medical consultations, laboratory tests, distribution of medicines and even social assistance. 

Domitilo Xavier, a resident of the Tapagem community, highlights the importance of the project. “We think they're doing a very important service for us. I was born and brought up here and things are difficult and now, with this project, we've been well looked after. My grandson was burning up with fever and I went there for a consultation with a physician”, he commented. 

Maria Adão, 71, a resident of the Abuí Community, celebrated the end of her long journeys to seek medical care in the city center. “Since I took part in the Quilombo Project, thanks to my good Lord, I've never been to Oriximiná again. I hope this project never abandons our community because the nurses treat us with great care,” she said. 

The convenience and speed of the service were also highlighted by Maria de Nazaré Colé, a resident of the Tapagem community, which was served by the itinerant project. “Many of the questions we had sometimes had to go to Porto Trombetas or Oriximiná and now we can wait at home and solve the problem right here,” she said. 

Pharmacist Monique Alves is one of the professionals in the multidisciplinary team that participates in the Quilombo Project and explains that the team tries to adapt the treatments to the reality of the communities and to the traditional knowledge that exists in the region. “When we work in a hospital, we listen to the patient's complaints, we treat them and they go home. Here, we can understand what the problem is within the environment and adapt it to their reality. We're in a remote place and often the people of the Amazon and the communities follow more natural medicine. Not only do we allow them to use the medications we recommend, but we tell them not to neglect their culture. This makes the patient better at adhering to treatment”, she stated. 

Fábio Goulart de Oliveira, the Quilombo Project's pharmacy services coordinator, highlights the importance of the initiative for health professionals. “Providing these services is very enriching as a health professional. It's a unique experience. Offering these services to the population is rewarding, but also a challenge because we explore the full potential of what we learned at university,” he said. 

Developed over 20 years ago, the Quilombo Project is a benchmark in medical care for the residents. This project is part of MRN's Socio-Environmental Education Program, in compliance with IBAMA (Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources) requirements. Throughout its history, the Project has collected accolades and awards, such as the one presented in 2022 by the Brazilian Association of International Peace Forces of the United Nations (ABFIP ONU), in recognition of its work with the Quilombola and riverside peoples in the region.

“We are always seeking to improve our services in order to provide an increasingly complete service to the communities. That's why we've expanded the project to include exams, social services and consultations with specialists in order to improve residents' quality of life,” explained Lenilton Santos de Jesus, MRN's Community Relations Analyst.

The company shared its actions in the areas of reforestation and community relations

MRN was the highlight of Exposibram 2024, held in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State. With 45 years of sustainable mining in the Amazon, the company took part in various activities, where it shared its experiences at one of the biggest events in the sector, bringing together experts, government representatives and the third sector to discuss the current scenario and trends in global mining. The company presented successful cases in the areas of reforestation, innovation and community relations. 

One of the topics addressed by the company, the presentation of ecological restoration and reforestation initiatives in mined-out areas in the Amazon, drew the attention of the audience. Talita Godinho, MRN's environmental analyst, was one of those responsible for the presentation and highlighted the company's reforestation works in more than 7,500 hectares over four decades. This work was developed due to the company's capacity to produce more than 1 million seedlings a year and the use of improved techniques specific to the western region of Pará State, where it is located. “This is a collaborative effort involving more than 100 people, from collecting seeds in the communities to planting and monitoring. Being able to share our successful case is very gratifying and is only possible thanks to the efforts of everyone who helps make MRN a benchmark in sustainability”, Talita said. 

Ana Paula Farias, a Quilombola and environmental analyst at MRN, also took part in the presentation and emphasized the importance of the company's work for the region. “It's rewarding to follow this whole reforestation process and take this information into the community. As a Quilombola, we know what specimens are important for the region, for example, in medicinal matters. It is extremely important to monitor the production of quality seedlings and to know that we will be able to make use of this resource in the future.” 

Claudia Belchior, manager of the company's Community Relations and Corporate Social Responsibility Department, presented MRN's experiences with the Free, Prior and Informed Consultations held in two Quilombola territories, as well as the implementation of a robust communication plan involving more than 60 riverside and rural communities, representative institutions, the press and others. She described the challenges and lessons learned from the licensing process for the New Mines Project (PNM), which aims to extend MRN's operating period for another 15 years, emphasizing the strengthening of dialogue with various communities and respect for environmental legislation. This work was fundamental to winning the preliminary license granted by Ibama in September. “It is essential to discuss the project that is being licensed in an objective and transparent way. Talking about impacts and contributions, and making active listening the main pillar in building and strengthening trust with these communities. This is an ongoing process that improves every day, generating a lot of knowledge for both parties”, Claudia stated. 

Daniel Maciel, MRN's legal manager, took part in the panel “Advances and Trends in Environmental Licensing Legislation”, presenting MRN's experience with licensing the PNM. The company held business roundtables at Exposibram, seeking to strengthen partnerships that contribute to its sustainable development. 

In the field of innovation, the Ecoblocks Factory project, led by Eliana Andrade, MRN's innovation leader, was presented on a panel at the Congress. This is an innovative initiative for the reuse of bauxite tailings in the region. 

Recognition

During the Exposibram 2024, MRN had a special reason to celebrate. Rogério Junqueira, the company's Operations Director, was recognized in the 1^st edition of the Mina Award, promoted by Women In Mining Brasil (WIM Brasil). He won the category “Allies in the quest for Gender Equality”, which highlighted men committed to promoting equality in the sector. This award was created to promote gender equality in the mining sector, recognizing female leaders in both operational and administrative roles, as well as valuing men who stand out as allies in the search for a more inclusive and fair environment for everyone.

“I was very surprised by the award and the recognition, I'm very happy. I'd like to thank WIM Brasil for the initiative. Since the beginning of my career in mining, I have always had the opportunity to work with very competent women who have inspired me. And I have tried to support women in mining because I understand that there are no differences, and I know that this is good for everyone in the workplace,” he said.