In a secluded community nestled deep within the verdant mountains of Bahia, Brazil, Catarina Oliveira de Silva gestures towards what was once a serene lake.
“Since the mine started its extraction there, waste cascaded down, engulfing the spring and burying this entire lake under three meters of silt and ore sludge,” she laments.
Catarina recounts how the dust from the mine settled on her crops, including coffee bushes and banana trees, rendering them unproductive.
In 2015, she and her husband had embarked on a business venture, offering angling experiences at the lake. “Our dreams were dashed,” she sighs.
Catarina’s family resides in a traditional Quilombola community, descendants of Afro-Brazilian slaves whose ancestral lands and customs are safeguarded by Brazilian law.
Now, their struggle against a mining company owned by a UK entity is poised to escalate to the highest court in London.
Brazil Iron, touting itself as a “sustainable” mining enterprise, stands accused of wreaking havoc on the environment, public health, crops, and local water sources near its Brazilian operations. The company vehemently denies these allegations, asserting that its endeavors to produce eco-friendly steel could potentially mitigate millions of tons of carbon emissions annually while generating thousands of job opportunities for the local populace, contingent upon receiving a full mining license.
However, locals like Catarina contend that the mere exploration activities of the mine have already inflicted significant harm. Other residents allege that explosions from the mine have caused structural damage to their homes, while airborne dust pollution has adversely affected their well-being.
Presently, 103 claimants are part of the legal proceedings in the UK, with grievances spanning from 2011 to 2022.
They seek redress for what their legal representatives characterize as “physical and psychological injuries as well as environmental degradation,” as they formally lodge their claims in a UK court today.
Edimone Almeida Silva recounts how her eldest daughter developed respiratory issues after the mine commenced operations, issues which abated once mining activities ceased.
“She spent entire nights trying to soothe her irritated throat. I had to rush her to the doctor, who prescribed an inhaler,” she shares solemnly.