Análise dos impactos ambientais causados pela mineração do caulim no município de Salgadinho - PB.

Abstract

Kaolin is a mineral resource widely explored on the planet because it is the raw material for the industrial development of various products consumed in our daily lives, evidencing its economic importance. Consequently, because it is a resource extracted directly from the soil, the extraction and processing process generates great impacts on the environment in general. In this scenario, our research seeks to answer how kaolin mining has been causing environmental, social, and economic impacts in the municipality of Salgadinho-PB. This is because even though the municipality is considered as a small mining company, with respect to national production, Salgadinho experiences the problems caused by this type of activity. Therefore, the main objective of this work is to analyze the environmental impacts caused by mineral extraction of kaolin in the municipality of Salgadinho - PB. To this end, we used the environmental indicators P-E-I-R (Pressure-State-Impact-Response) adapted for mining by Andrade and Azevedo (2018), through which we identify the existing impacts in the mining areas of Salgadinho and together with the application of an impact matrix, developed by Araújo (2004), to assess the degree of these impacts. Through this methodology used it was observed that the mining activities carried out in the municipality of Salgadinho cause irreversible damage to the environment during the extraction and processing process, resulting in deforestation, abandonment of mines without any measure of soil recovery, dust emission and the large amount of tailings disposed irregularly, contaminating the soil and water networks and polluting environment. But it is also a great provider of income for the local population. In view of the above, we understand that given the lack of the action of supervisory and regulatory bodies of government agencies, a welcoming scenario for the exploitation of mineral and human resources is created without major concerns about the damage caused to the environment.