Gold at what cost? Another megaproject threatens biodiversity in the Amazon
The Xingu River, located in northern Brazil, is already under the impacts of one of the most harmful projects in the history of the Amazon – the Belo Monte hydroelectric dam. A new megaproject called the ‘Volta Grande Project’, led by Canadian gold mining company Belo Sun will be situated adjacent t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2017-04-01
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| Series: | Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2530064417300342 |
| _version_ | 1818601739362762752 |
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| author | Raffael M. Tófoli Rosa M. Dias Gustavo H. Zaia Alves David J. Hoeinghaus Luiz C. Gomes Matheus T. Baumgartner Angelo A. Agostinho |
| author_facet | Raffael M. Tófoli Rosa M. Dias Gustavo H. Zaia Alves David J. Hoeinghaus Luiz C. Gomes Matheus T. Baumgartner Angelo A. Agostinho |
| author_sort | Raffael M. Tófoli |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Xingu River, located in northern Brazil, is already under the impacts of one of the most harmful projects in the history of the Amazon – the Belo Monte hydroelectric dam. A new megaproject called the ‘Volta Grande Project’, led by Canadian gold mining company Belo Sun will be situated adjacent to the same stretch of the Xingu that is dewatered by the Belo Monte complex. Various aspects of the project are controversial. There are reports that the mining company acquired public lands illegally, the affected area has high biodiversity and endemism of several taxonomic groups, and mining operations would be approximately 9.5 km from indigenous lands. Synergistic impacts of impoundment and mining operations are expected to dramatically alter the Xingu's biodiversity and ecosystem services that support indigenous people and riverine populations. Moreover, the mining activities will generate tons of toxic waste that will be stored in a high-risk tailings dam, which exposes the Xingu River to catastrophic consequences similar to those of the Doce River disaster. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T12:56:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b33ef04affe44cfd9f82b1bb5048c1e3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2530-0644 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T12:56:10Z |
| publishDate | 2017-04-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation |
| spelling | doaj.art-b33ef04affe44cfd9f82b1bb5048c1e32022-12-21T22:31:02ZengElsevierPerspectives in Ecology and Conservation2530-06442017-04-01152129131Gold at what cost? Another megaproject threatens biodiversity in the AmazonRaffael M. Tófoli0Rosa M. Dias1Gustavo H. Zaia Alves2David J. Hoeinghaus3Luiz C. Gomes4Matheus T. Baumgartner5Angelo A. Agostinho6Centro Universitário Ingá (Uningá), Maringá, PR, Brazil; Corresponding author.Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais (PEA), Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, PR, BrazilPrograma de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais (PEA), Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, PR, Brazil; PostDoctoral Fellowship, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, PR, BrazilDepartment of Biological Sciences and the Advanced Environmental Research Institute, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, United StatesPrograma de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais (PEA), Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, PR, BrazilPrograma de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais (PEA), Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, PR, BrazilPrograma de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais (PEA), Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, PR, BrazilThe Xingu River, located in northern Brazil, is already under the impacts of one of the most harmful projects in the history of the Amazon – the Belo Monte hydroelectric dam. A new megaproject called the ‘Volta Grande Project’, led by Canadian gold mining company Belo Sun will be situated adjacent to the same stretch of the Xingu that is dewatered by the Belo Monte complex. Various aspects of the project are controversial. There are reports that the mining company acquired public lands illegally, the affected area has high biodiversity and endemism of several taxonomic groups, and mining operations would be approximately 9.5 km from indigenous lands. Synergistic impacts of impoundment and mining operations are expected to dramatically alter the Xingu's biodiversity and ecosystem services that support indigenous people and riverine populations. Moreover, the mining activities will generate tons of toxic waste that will be stored in a high-risk tailings dam, which exposes the Xingu River to catastrophic consequences similar to those of the Doce River disaster.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2530064417300342Xingu RiverVolta Grande ProjectMiningBelo SunEndemic species |
| spellingShingle | Raffael M. Tófoli Rosa M. Dias Gustavo H. Zaia Alves David J. Hoeinghaus Luiz C. Gomes Matheus T. Baumgartner Angelo A. Agostinho Gold at what cost? Another megaproject threatens biodiversity in the Amazon Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation Xingu River Volta Grande Project Mining Belo Sun Endemic species |
| title | Gold at what cost? Another megaproject threatens biodiversity in the Amazon |
| title_full | Gold at what cost? Another megaproject threatens biodiversity in the Amazon |
| title_fullStr | Gold at what cost? Another megaproject threatens biodiversity in the Amazon |
| title_full_unstemmed | Gold at what cost? Another megaproject threatens biodiversity in the Amazon |
| title_short | Gold at what cost? Another megaproject threatens biodiversity in the Amazon |
| title_sort | gold at what cost another megaproject threatens biodiversity in the amazon |
| topic | Xingu River Volta Grande Project Mining Belo Sun Endemic species |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2530064417300342 |
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