Name: LEONARDO MONJARDIM AMARANTE
Type: MSc dissertation
Publication date: 15/02/2019
Advisor:
Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| RENATO RIBEIRO SIMAN | Advisor * |
Examining board:
| Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| FERNANDA APARECIDA VERONEZ | External Examiner * |
| RENATO RIBEIRO SIMAN | Advisor * |
Summary: Many projects implemented in the ornamental stone mining sector are quite different from those that had been described in the presented environmental studies, making it difficult or even impossible to compare the expected and actual impacts. In addition, when mining activities cause a disturbance, the response of the environment may be quite different depending on the natural and human characteristics of the site. The research work considers the concept of vulnerability by evaluating the quality of the environmental studies and agreement with the resolutions and best practices of the sector, with the purpose of verifying the compatibility with the environmental, social and economic characteristics of each region, besides suggesting guidelines for the terms of reference that guide the preparation of these studies. For the development of the present work tools were applied which consider 8 (eight) Legal Variables (VL) divided into 34 (thirty-four) items and used for the analysis of the agreement with the legislation. We also considered 5 (five) Technical Variables (VT) divided into 15 (fifteen) items of interest for the analysis of the technical aspects addressed. The top ore producing companies in the state of Espírito Santo were identified with valid operating licenses and possible to analyze environmental studies. In addition, it is argued that the determination of the type of environmental study should not only be based on the size of the enterprise and its monthly production in cubic meters, but should also consider the natural vulnerability of the areas of direct and indirect influence. Of the 65 studies evaluated, 26% presented "low" agreement with legal variables, 72% were classified with "average" agreement and only one environmental study was classified with "high" agreement with the requirements related to the legislation. Regarding the technical aspects evaluated, 64.5% of the studies were classified with "low" agreement and 35.5% with "average", no study was classified with "high" agreement, which reveals the performance of professionals not qualified in the elaboration of reports, plans and projects in this sector. In terms of vulnerability, 33% of the deposits are in areas of "very low" vulnerability and 26% in areas of "low" vulnerability. Thus, 59% of the areas of ornamental stone mining companies object of the present study were installed in places with favorable vulnerability for operation and extraction. On the other hand, 22% of the deposits are located in areas of "high" or
VII
"very high" vulnerability, indicating the need for environmental studies compatible with these indices (technical and legal quality). 19% of the quarries were leased in areas of "average" vulnerability. In addition, it is argued that the determination of the type of environmental study should not only be based on the size of the enterprise and its monthly production in cubic meters, but also consider the natural vulnerability of the areas of direct and indirect influence. The results indicated that many mining companies did not contemplate fundamental items of significant importance in the evaluation of environmental impacts, such as: the definition of an indirect area of influence, a description of the impacts and proposition of measures on the anthropic environment, besides the definition of programs of monitoring. It is therefore essential that the studies are reviewed more carefully by the competent environmental and that specific terms of reference be created according to local vulnerability.
