Mineração na microrregião da chapada do Apodi: estudo de caso das potencialidades, desafios do setor e consequências ambientais

Mining is a propelling activity of economic development, but it is also related to social factors, directly and indirectly impacting employment and income, generating tax revenues and promoting a development and growth in municipalities. The objective of this study was to identify the mineral potentialities, the sector challenges and the environmental consequences in the Chapada do Apodi. The research was divided into three stages: first, the survey of the mineral resources in the study region, these data were collected through the bibliographies of the National Department of Mineral Production (DNPM) and the Institute for Sustainable Development and Environment (IDEMA) of the State of Rio Grande do Norte. Then, a survey of mining companies and excavations was carried out in the municipalities that make up the Chapada do Apodi region. It was found that in the microregion of the Chapada do Apodi, it has small and medium-sized mining companies, but it is possible to observe a great potential for the extraction of diverse mineral resources, being mineral water, clay, sand, crushed stone, Limestone , oil and natural gas. The municipal governments that form the Chapada do Apodi do not have a notion of the wealth that exists in their territories and some of them are unaware of some activities of exploitation of mineral resources, thus not having a control of the economy and the contributions of taxes, in this way paralyzes the socioeconomic development of their municipalities. Mining activity, although quite necessary, alters the landscape and degrades the environment. It is important to aim for a management plan and recovery of degraded areas after the extraction of these minerals. In addition, the need for municipal inspections and environmental licensing through the competent bodies, aiming to raise awareness of the use of EPI's and EPC's equipment, technical improvements, mitigation of environmental vulnerabilities, so that negative impacts are minimized and exploitation of mineral resources within sustainable development is promoted.