With the aim of understanding the environmental impacts caused by illegal mining in the watersheds of the Verde and Araras rivers, located in southeastern Pará, the project adopts a transdisciplinary approach that incorporates geochemical, morphological, and stratigraphic analyses.
The rapid advance of illegal mining in the Carajás region has caused deforestation, altered the hydrological regime, and contaminated natural resources. The Araras River and Verde River basins, which cover project areas such as Bacaba, Visconde, Barão, and Cristalino, show signs of environmental degradation associated with mining activities, including an increase in the concentration of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) such as arsenic, lead, mercury, and cadmium. Previous studies indicate that there is a natural enrichment of these elements in the region, due to the local geology, which makes it essential to distinguish between natural and anthropogenic sources of contamination. Detailed characterization of these areas will not only make it possible to understand the formation processes of alluvial deposits, but also to support environmental recovery actions and monitoring strategies.
Impact of illegal mining in Vale’s mineral concession areas
Canaã dos Carajás-PA
Research Group
Impact of illegal mining in Vale’s mineral concession areas
Area of activity
Recursos Hídricos
Value
R$ 204.000,00 (2025)
Coordinator

Tasso Guimarães
PhD in Geology and Geochemistry
Researchers

PhD in Soil Science

PhD in Environmental Sciences

PhD in Environmental Sciences

PhD in Geology and Geochemistry

Tasso Guimarães
PhD in Geology and Geochemistry
Tasso Guimarães holds a PhD and a master’s degree in Geology from the Federal University of Pará, and a degree in Oceanography from the same university.
As a researcher at ITV DS since 2012, he has worked on fluvial-lacustrine stratigraphy, environmental geochemistry, applied palynology, and social perception of hydrological risks. He studies ecological transitions, critical species, and vulnerable communities, with a focus on Amazonian territories impacted by mining. Guimarães uses transdisciplinary and multiproxy approaches to socio-environmental diagnostics and sustainable planning.
He is an editor and reviewer for international journals and a professor in the Professional Master’s Degree in Sustainable Use of Natural Resources at ITV, having coordinated the program from 2019 and 2021.
Docente em
Graduate studies
Professional Master’s Degree in Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in Tropical
Projetos relacionados
Projeto
No Net Loss in Carajás
Projeto
Development of an online analysis and monitoring system for water quality in dams and water dynamics in the area of influence of the Vermelho River over the EFC
Projeto
Impact of illegal mining in Vale’s mineral concession areas
Projeto
Offsets in the Araguaia Ferricretes: Characterization and restoration of geoenvironments and their biota to compensate for mining impacts
Projeto
Geochemical Background of the Iron Quadrangle
Projeto
Geochemical Background of the Itacaiúnas River Basin II
Publicações relacionadas

Silvio Ramos
PhD in Soil Science
Silvio Ramos holds a PhD and a master’s degree in soil science, and a degree in Agronomy. As a researcher at ITV DS, he is a professor and coordinator of the graduate program in Sustainable Use of Natural Resources at ITV DS, as well as a lecturer at the Federal Rural University of Amazonia (UFRA). He works on the propagation and growth of native species, the recovery of mined areas, bioindicators, and soil carbon stocks. He teaches subjects related to forest restoration.
Docente em
Graduate studies
Professional Master’s Degree in Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in Tropical
Projetos relacionados
Projeto
Integrated Soil Health Monitoring
Projeto
Precision RAD and its contributions to the Impact Mitigation Hierarchy – IMH
Projeto
Monitoring environmental recovery and restoration at the properties of the South Atlantic Base Metals operating units
Projeto
Use of Basalt Powder and Mine Slag as Soil Conditioners and CO2 Compensators
Projeto
Impact of illegal mining in Vale’s mineral concession areas
Projeto
The road to Nature Positive at Mineração Paragominas S.A.
Projeto
Slope Stabilization and Cangas Restoration in Carajás Mountains
Projeto
Taxonomy and Propagation of Native Plant Species of the Iron Quadrangle
Projeto
Conservation and Use of Jaborandi in the Carajás FLONA
Projeto
Brazil nut trees and other threatened species: ecology, propagation, and monitoring
Projeto
Geochemical Background of the Iron Quadrangle
Projeto
Geochemical Background of the Itacaiúnas River Basin II
Publicações relacionadas

Renato Silva Júnior
PhD in Environmental Sciences
Renato Silva Júnior holds a PhD in Environmental Sciences, a master’s degree in Geology and Geochemistry, and is a geologist who graduated from the Geosciences Institute of the Federal University of Pará (UFPA).
Since 2012, he has worked as an adjunct researcher at ITV DS, coordinating the monitoring of the Itacaiúnas River Basin. He is also a permanent professor in the Professional Master’s Degree in Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in Tropical Regions, dedicating himself to teaching, research, and academic supervision.
With over 20 years of experience in Environment and Water Resources, he has worked at the Ministry of the Environment’s Water Resources Secretariat, contributing to pilot projects, technical support, and working groups within the National Water Resources Council.
He has taught at various institutions, including UFPA, the University of Brasília (UnB), and the University Center of Brasília (UniCEUB). He also worked for eight years at Golder Associates Brazil in the environmental and mining sectors.
Docente em
Graduate studies
Professional Master’s Degree in Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in Tropical
Projetos relacionados
Projeto
No Net Loss in Carajás
Projeto
Development of an online analysis and monitoring system for water quality in dams and water dynamics in the area of influence of the Vermelho River over the EFC
Projeto
Impact of illegal mining in Vale’s mineral concession areas
Publicações relacionadas

Marcio Silva
PhD in Environmental Sciences
Marcio Silva holds a PhD in Environmental Sciences from the Federal University of Pará (UFPA), a master’s degree in Geology and Geochemistry, and a bachelor’s degree in Geology, along with a specialization in Geology and Marine Geophysics. He works in the fields of geology, marine geophysics, coastal geomorphology, oceanography, and hydrology, with an emphasis on morphodynamics, hydrodynamics, and environmental impacts assessments and diagnostics.
He has been working as an assistant researcher at ITV DS since 2016, focusing on bathymetric surveys, hydrodynamic measurements, and environmental analysis.
Previously, he was a researcher at the Institute of Scientific and Technological Research of the State of Amapá, where he coordinated programs on coastal management and aquatic ecosystems dynamics. He also has teaching experience at various universities, delivering courses in Geology, Hydrology, Remote Sensing, and Environmental Management.
Docente em
Graduate studies
Professional Master’s Degree in Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in Tropical
Projetos relacionados
Projeto
No Net Loss in Carajás
Projeto
Development of an online analysis and monitoring system for water quality in dams and water dynamics in the area of influence of the Vermelho River over the EFC
Projeto
Impact of illegal mining in Vale’s mineral concession areas
Projeto
Geochemical Background of the Iron Quadrangle
Projeto
Geochemical Background of the Itacaiúnas River Basin II
Publicações relacionadas

Gabriel Salomão
PhD in Geology and Geochemistry
Gabriel Salomão holds a PhD in Mineralogy and Geochemistry from the Federal University of Pará (UFPA), a master’s degree in the same field, and a bachelor’s degree in Geology, also from UFPA, including an academic exchange at the University of Adelaide, Australia.
He has been an adjunct researcher at the Vale Institute of Technology Sustainable Development (ITV DS) since 2021, coordinating the Geochemical Background of the Iron Quadrangle project.
He has experience in environmental geochemistry, geochemical mapping and background studies, geochemical prospecting, applied statistics, geoprocessing, and remote sensing. Salomão was a research fellow at ITV and participated in international cooperation with the UNESCO International Center on Global-Scale Geochemistry in China. He worked as a trainee at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Australia, where he conducted research using portable spectroscopic techniques on drones. He has also carried out laboratory activities in U-Pb geochronology (LA-ICP-MS) with the TRaX group.
Docente em
Graduate studies
Professional Master’s Degree in Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in Tropical
Projetos relacionados
Projeto
Hydrological and Climate Risks
Projeto
Monitoring environmental recovery and restoration at the properties of the South Atlantic Base Metals operating units
Projeto
Development of an online analysis and monitoring system for water quality in dams and water dynamics in the area of influence of the Vermelho River over the EFC
Projeto
Impact of illegal mining in Vale’s mineral concession areas
Projeto
Geochemical Background of the Iron Quadrangle
Projeto
Geochemical Background of the Itacaiúnas River Basin II
Projeto
Integrative assessment of bat population responses to mining activities
Publicações relacionadas