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September 15, 2009
Juruti Mine: a socially responsible long-term investment
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Continuing to comply with its development plan, Alcoa inaugurates a new bauxite mine in Juruti, in the west of Pará.
For almost a half a century the Alcoa Group has been mining bauxite and producing alumina, primary aluminum and rolled and extruded aluminum products in Brazil. Now it is writing yet another important chapter in its history and making an even deeper commitment to the country as it invests almost R$ 8 billion in expanding its operations and raises more than R$ 5.4 billion in investments from its partners. With sustainability as the foundation stone of its strategy, thanks to these investments Alcoa is stimulating regional development (as it does everywhere it operates) by training workers, using a legacy of open discussion about its productive environmental agenda and helping promote social progress, as it remains loyal to its ethical values and the highest standards of corporate responsibility.
Alcoa, a world citizen company, is inaugurating its new bauxite mine, with an innovative and responsible profile (bauxite is the mineral from which aluminum is made).
Juruti is a model enterprise that is fully integrated into the community. It has no walls or enclaves and so is shifting the paradigm in the mining segment.
Its conception and operation were developed in partnership with highly respected NGOs, like the Emilio Goeldi Museum of Para, the Ethos Institute and CI (Conservation International). In a joint initiative with Funbio (Brazilian Foundation for Biodiversity) and FGV (Getulio Vargas Foundation) Alcoa encouraged the setting up of the Sustainable Juruti Project, comprising an Advisory Board, indicators for monitoring development and a fund for supporting the projects of social organizations that promote the region’s sustainable development. Alcoa is today planting the seeds that will continue to flourish and foster the sustainable development of Juruti, even after the end of the operation in fifty, or maybe one hundred years time.
Juruti is an undertaking that protects the environmental as much as possible. All construction areas are duly recuperated, using modern techniques for replanting vegetation (hydrosowing and biomats), in addition to planting 80,000 saplings of native trees from the region, which are grown in the company’s own and community nurseries for replanting vegetation on mined-out areas. Thanks to this technique, in 1990 Alcoa was included on the Global 500 Roll of Honor of the UN’s Environment Program – the only mining company to be included on it – because of the way it operates in Australia. The same work in Poços de Caldas (MG)) preceded Brazilian legislation along these lines and is considered a model, not only in Brazil, but worldwide.
It is because of this stance that Alcoa has won such a large number of prizes and national and international distinctions. This has been recognized in the Corporate Good Citizenship Guide from Exame magazine in the areas of Values and Transparency and Government and Society. Furthermore, For the ninth time Alcoa has just been included among the Best Companies to Work for in Brazil, from the Great Place to Work institute and Época magazine. A survey by Carta Capital magazine has already acclaimed Alcoa as one of the most admired companies in Brazil and the Company was also considered a Company of Good by Dinheiro magazine.
The Juruti bauxite mine forms part of Alcoa’s long-term plan in Brazil. This plan includes the biggest expansion of an alumina (an intermediary product between bauxite and aluminum) refinery ever carried out anywhere in the world, in São Luís, Maranhão; two hydroelectric plants (Estreito and Serra do Facão) that are being installed in a responsible manner and are sources of natural and renewable energy; and modernization of its plant in Poços de Caldas.
This development plan by Alcoa is aimed at expanding its production of aluminum in a competitive and responsible way; aluminum is sustainability itself in metal form because it is infinitely recyclable, in addition to having various other qualities that make it fundamental for the modern life of the whole population.
About Alcoa
Alcoa is the world leader in the production and management of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum and alumina combined, through its active and growing participation in all major aspects of the industry. Alcoa serves the aerospace, automotive, packaging, building and construction, commercial transportation and industrial markets, bringing design, engineering, production and other capabilities of Alcoa's businesses to customers. In addition to aluminum products and components including flat-rolled products, hard alloy extrusions, and forgings, Alcoa also markets Alcoa® wheels, fastening systems, precision and investment castings, and building systems. The Company has been named one of the top most sustainable corporations in the world at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland and has been a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for seven consecutive years. More information can be found at www.alcoa.com.
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