Ministério Público and Alunorte provide Federal Court with joint petition to lift production embargos

On April 12, as previously announced, the Federal Court in Belem held a conciliatory hearing between Ministério Público and Alunorte to discuss the production embargos for Hydro’s Alunorte alumina refinery. At the hearing, Ministério Público and Alunorte provided the court with a joint petition to lift the production embargos. The Government of Pará was represented by State Attorney.

Two people talking on a metal bridge over a water tank

During the hearing, the independent engineering consultancy Rambøll also confirmed Alunorte’s ability to resume safe operations. Rambøll was hired on behalf of Ministerio Publico to conduct a third-party assessment of two independent reports from state environmental agency SEMAS and the Federal University of Campina Grande. Both of these independent reports have concluded that Alunorte can resume safe operations.

The matter of lifting Alunorte’s production embargos is now with the Federal Court for decision. The embargos on production and the use of the newly developed bauxite solid residue deposit area (DRS2) remains in force, and the timing of resuming normal operations remains uncertain.

Alunorte is duly delivering on the commitments agreed in the technical agreement (TAC) signed with Ministério Público (state and federal) and the State Government of Pará, represented by SEMAS.

Internal and external reviews, including inspections from authorities, confirmed that there was no overflow from Alunorte’s bauxite residue deposits or harmful spills from the February 2018 rainfall.

Published: April 12, 2019