In Brazil’s Jequitinhonha valley, communities share how to reduce lithium mining impacts
news.mongabay.com
ARAÇUAÍ, Brazil — It’s a sunny, cloudless morning in the Poço Dantas when a sudden loud blow shakes the ground of Maria Aparecida’s* house. A few kilometers away, a cloud of dust coats the horizon, and the air smells of explosives. Almost a minute goes by before the distant sound of a siren becomes discernible. […]
  • In southeastern Brazil’s Jequitinhonha Valley, a region that is home to up to 85% of the country’s known lithium deposits, residents say the arrival of the mining company Sigma Lithium brought new community conflicts and issues with their water supply.
  • Some researchers say decisions concerning where and how to mine, as well as the types of consultation practices companies use, result in different levels of impact, but that there’s no way governments can ensure corporate responsibility.
  • Local communities in the Jequitinhonha Valley have a blueprint on how companies can improve relations and mitigate impacts.
  • Sigma Lithium did not respond to Mongabay’s request for a comment, but its website states its mission is to support the growth of the electric vehicle industry as a producer of sustainable lithium.

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