The Carajas Project
The aim of the Carajas project is to take eradicate Brazil’s debt.
To mine deposits of iron ore.
Carajas project is a mining and industrial complex based on the world’s largest deposit of
Iron ore and other metals such as manganese, bauxite, copper, nickel, potassium, gold.
From open cast mine iron is taken 900 km by rail to port of Sao Luis and exported to the
world.
The project employs over 6000 people and has provided stimulus for other businesses to
open.
Created flow on ventures includes aluminium smelters, hydro-electric dams which produces
8 million kilowatts of electricity.
Problems: Have been financed by borrowing. Brazil has 2nd largest debt in world owing over
$250 billion.
Carajas covers an area of over 13,000 sq km therefore vegetation has to be removed.
Effects of farming and deforestation.
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Bio-diversity a 10 km sq patch of rainforest can contain 1500 species of flowering
plant, 750 tree species, 400 bird species and thousands of insect species.
Lack of soil protection by canopy trees bind soil with roots. Deforestation also breaks
the humus cycle so that existing nutrients are rapidly leached out.
Mining operations run off into rivers.
Decrease in number of Natives from 6 million to 200,000 representing a loss in the
indigenous identity.
45 million tons of iron ore annually
1.5 millions tons of manganese
10,000 kilograms of gold
Eighteen billion tons of high-grade iron ore
Guaranteed production for another 400 years
Carajás is served by its own Airport
$23 million on environmental impact research
Effects on people.
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Amazon Indians
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Brazilian forests are home to 220,000 Indians from 170 different tribes
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The population of Indians has dropped from 9m to 220,000 since 1500
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Reasons include: Hollywood myth and El Dorado myth
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A Brazilian politician said “We are going to create a policy of integrating the Indian
population into the Brazilian society as quickly as possible. We think that the ideals
of preserving the Indian population are beautiful ideas but very unrealistic.
Effects on Environment.
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Relief
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185 tonnes per hectare eroded by one storm
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Silt eroded into rivers can kill water life
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Vegetation
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Extinction of species
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Difficult for regeneration in harsh conditions
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Soil
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Humus decomposes faster than it forms
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No litter to form humus
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Climate
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High temperatures.
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Low rainfall
Effects on Global environment.
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Green house effect
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Carbon dioxide gas trapped in the atmosphere causes light and heat to be trapped in
the earth’s atmosphere
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Ozone layer
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Sprays and chemicals are forming a hole in the Ozone layer. This hole allows UV light
to enter the earth’s atmosphere
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Acid rain
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Industrial waste from mining, transport etc can result in acid rain getting into
vegetation and water killing aquatic life.
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Extinction
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Deforestation can lead to species becoming extinct. 20% of all living species have
disappeared due to deforestation between 1975 and 2000