Alunorte, Hydro and Ministério Público file joint petition Federal Court to lift DRS2 embargoes

A press release from Hydro says Alunorte, Hydro and Ministério Público Federal filed a joint petition to the Federal Court in Belem yesterday to lift the embargoes on the new bauxite residue deposit area - DRS2, which lies suspended since March 1, 2018 after a court order.

The petition came after Alunorte, Hydro, Pará state environmental agency SEMAS and Ministério Público Federal signed an MoU to take up necessary measures to resume installation and commissioning activities at the new state-of-art deposit area.

“This is an important step forward, arising from our ongoing dialogue with the authorities. The DRS2 and press filters is the most sustainable bauxite deposit technology available in the world, and the only long-term solution for Alunorte operations,” says John Thuestad, Executive Vice President of the Bauxite & Alumina business area.

Alunorte has agreed to perform a socioeconomic study on possible impacts of DRS2. Accordingly, if compensatory measures are suggested those will be aimed at improving the conditions of the affected communities in a sustainable manner.  Alunorte would involve Ministerio Publico Federal in the potential necessary updates of the environmental license.

They will wait for the court’s decision on the joint petition for further steps. In the meantime Alunorte continues to use the old bauxite residue deposit area (DRS1) to run the refinery operations as the Federal Court lifted Alunorte’s production embargoes on May 20th, allowing the alumina refinery to produce at 100% capacity. Alunorte is working according to the terms agreed in the technical agreement (TAC) signed with Ministério Público and the State Government of Pará.

Internal and external reviews and all inspections have confirmed that there was no overflow from Alunorte’s bauxite residue deposits during February 2018 rainfall.