We use cookies to analyze user behavior in order to constantly improve the website for you. Learn more (NYSE: NEXA) ("Nexa Resources" or "Nexa" or the "Company")  is pleased to announce its operational results for the three- and twelve-month periods ended December 31 The Company is also providing its production and metal sales guidance for the 2025-2027 period The figures presented in this report are preliminary and unaudited Nexa's financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2024 are expected to be published on Thursday Consolidated mining production guidance was achieved and silver production meeting the annual guidance range while copper production exceeded the upper range Zinc production totaled 327kt. After the guidance revision disclosed in October 2024 which maintained the initial full-year production target and Aripuanã mines reached the lower end of the annual guidance with Cerro Lindo's output exceeding the upper range Nexa remains a significant producer of silver and 2024 production further reinforces this position in line with the mid-range of annual guidance This performance was primarily driven by higher production volumes at the Cajamarquilla and Juiz de Fora smelters compared to 2023 supported by enhanced operational stability and efficient logistics across our supply chain Consolidated run-of-mine mining costs and consolidated C1 cash cost guidance were successfully achieved due to improved operational efficiencies and disciplined execution of our production plans Key drivers included: reduced energy consumption and higher by-product prices contributed to these results Consolidated smelting Conversion cost and C1 cash cost guidance were achieved primarily due to lower operational costs at Brazilian smelters higher operational throughput at Cajamarquilla contributed to maintain costs within the forecasted range while favorable foreign exchange effects in Brazilian operations further supported these outcomes CAPEX and Other Operating Expenses came in well below the lowered guidance updated in October 2024 This outcome underscores the Company's unwavering commitment to financial discipline and operational efficiency Strategic optimization initiatives implemented throughout the year played a pivotal role in controlling expenditures without compromising operational reliability or long-term project development (1) Considers only the four months of operations from January to April 2024 Metal sales (zinc metal + zinc oxide) totaled 591kt in 2024 reaching the mid-range of the annual guidance mainly driven by higher production volumes at the Cajamarquilla smelter compared to 2023 supported by improved operational stability and enhanced logistics efficiency across our supply chain sales were further boosted by demand from key markets particularly in the automotive and construction sectors Zinc metal sales of 557kt were also within the mid-range of guidance This was mainly driven by reduced demand in the pneumatic (tire) segment which is facing increased competition from Chinese tire exports and shifts in customer inventory levels amid expectations of a potential slowdown in demand (1) C1 Weighted Cash cost net of by-products credits is measured with respect to zinc sold per mine.(2) Considers only the four months of operations from January to April 2024 Note: Consolidated cash cost does not include Aripuanã (3) C1 Weighted Cash cost net of by-products credits is measured with respect to zinc sold per smelter Run-of-mine mining costs of US$45.0/t and C1 cash cost of US$0.07/lb were in line with our 2024 guidance These results were driven by effective cost control measures Key contributing factors included: reduced energy consumption Smelting conversion cost of US$0.30/lb and C1 cash cost of US$1.15/lb were in line with our 2024 guidance This performance was driven by optimized smelting processes and increased operational throughput at Cajamarquilla improved freight negotiations maintained costs within the forecasted range (1) 2024 figures consider only the four months of operations from January to April 2024 Cerro Lindo: Zinc production of 86kt was up 10% year-over-year primarily driven by improved operational performance access to areas with higher grades in line with the mine sequencing plan Production also benefited from increased treated ore volumes throughout the year within the guidance but 9% lower than in 2023 primarily due to lower average head grades lead and silver production increased by 7% and 9% reaching 27kt and 4.6MMoz supported by improved recovery rates and operational efficiency measures mainly driven by increased mining activities in higher-grade zinc areas and improved processing efficiency driven by higher lead grades and better recovery rates while silver production decreased by 13% due to lower silver grades and a shift in ore processing This decrease was primarily driven by lower average grades and reduced sales volumes of AgroZinc - a by-product derived from low-grade ore and sold to the agricultural market These impacts were partially offset by higher treated ore volumes reflecting output from only the first four months of the year (January to April) and marking a 68% decrease compared to 2023 This decline resulted from the cessation of mining activities following the sale of Morro Agudo on April 30 Aripuanã: Zinc production reached 32kt mainly driven by improved operational performance and process adjustments implemented throughout the year and silver production significantly increased to 5.5kt (+24%) reflecting enhanced recovery rates and optimized production processes Peru: Cajamarquilla metal sales totaled 327kt This performance was supported by higher production volumes and stable demand from regional markets Brazil: Metal sales (zinc metal + zinc oxide) totaled 264kt also remaining relatively stable compared to 2023 This performance was primarily driven by lower production volumes at Três Marias partially offset by operational improvements at Juiz de Fora throughout the year production was slightly impacted in late December 2024 due to a fire at wet electro-filters A and B The incident was promptly contained following an emergency shutdown of the roasting plant focusing on the gradual repair of the electro-filters.In Três Marias metal sales (zinc metal + zinc oxide) amounted to 181kt in line with the prior year.In Juiz de Fora reflecting consistent operational performance and steady demand Guidance is based on several assumptions and estimates Nexa will continue to monitor risks associated with global supply chain disruptions and its potential impact on the demand for our products and changes to the political situations or regulatory frameworks in the countries in which we operate that could affect our production levels and our costs the evolving trade policies and tariff changes globally including recent tariff increases on Canada Nexa will continue to assess the implications of these trade policies on our operations and financial outlook Refer to "Risks and Uncertainties" and "Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Statements" for further information zinc production at mid-range levels is projected to slightly increase compared to 2024 primarily due to higher output from Aripuanã and El Porvenir This increase will be partially offset by lower production volumes at Cerro Lindo and Vazante in line with the updated mine sequencing plan zinc production is forecasted to increase by 4% over 2025 supported by higher volumes at Aripuanã zinc production is expected to increase by 7% compared to 2026 primarily driven by continued growth at Aripuanã and El Porvenir along with stable production at Vazante and Cerro Lindo Copper production at the midpoint of the 2025 guidance range is anticipated to decline by 10% compared to 2024 primarily due to lower grades in prepared areas in line with the current mine sequencing plans This trend is expected to continue in 2026 mainly driven by lower grades at Cerro Lindo and Aripuanã copper production is projected to slightly increase by 1% over 2026 supported by an updated mining plan at Cerro Lindo consolidated lead production at mid-range levels is forecasted to decrease by 7% while silver production is expected to decrease by 1% lead production at mid-range is anticipated to slightly increase compared to previous year silver production in 2026 and 2027 is expected to remain stable At the midpoint of the 2025 guidance range total metal sales are expected to decrease by 3% compared to 2024 primarily due to production adjustments associated with the forecasted lower treatment charge ("TC") levels for 2025 This strategy aims at preserving margins in the smelting segment and is expected to result in slightly lower metal sales in the period remediation actions following the fire incident at the Juiz de Fora wet electro-filters at the end of December 2024 are expected to be completed by the end of 2H25 with the associated production adjustments already factored into the guidance for the year no significant third-party material resales are anticipated total metal sales are projected to increase by 3% compared to 2025 (1) 2024 figures consider only the four months of operations of Morro Agudo from January to April 2024 consolidated average zinc grade is expected to range between 2.97% and 3.37% consolidated average copper grade is expected to range between 0.28% and 0.35% and consolidated average lead grade is expected to range between 0.61% and 0.74% Vazante: Zinc production at the midpoint of the 2025 guidance range is estimated to decrease by 2% mainly driven by lower treated ore volumes compared to 2024 zinc production is projected to range between 126-145kt Aripuanã: The three-year guidance reflects ongoing efforts to improve operational performance and commissioning of the fourth tailings filter This upgrade aims to enhance and sustain utilization capacity at optimal levels Zinc production in 2025 is projected to increase by 25% over 2024 mid-range zinc production is estimated to increase by 44% compared to 2025 and a further 24% increase is expected in 2027 compared to 2026.Copper production at mid-range levels in 2025 is expected to increase to 5-8kt before decreasing in 2026 and 2027 as mining transitions to lower-grade copper areas the smelters are expected to operate at slightly lower-than-normal utilization rates with sales aligning closely to production levels These estimates do not account for the resale of third-party material Metal sales volume at the midpoint of the 2025 guidance range is projected to be lower compared to 2024 Estimated Cash costs for 2025 are based on several assumptions Foreign exchange rates (BRL/USD: 5.85 and Soles/USD: 3.85); and 2025 zinc treatment charges ("TCs") of US$125/t concentrate (1) C1 Weighted Cash cost net of by-products credits is measured with respect to zinc sold per mine.(2) 2024 figures consider only the four months of operations of Morro Agudo from January to April 2024 Note: 2024 Consolidated cash cost does not include Aripuanã consolidated run-of-mine mining costs at mid-range of the guidance are expected to increase by 16% year-over-year primarily due to the inclusion of Aripuanã's run-of-mine mining costs estimates for the first time along with higher costs at Cerro Lindo (+7%) and Vazante (+10%) at mid-point Mining cash costs are expected to increase due to several reasons the unit cash cost of Cerro Lindo is forecasted at US$(0.49)-(0.30)/lb driven by lower zinc production volumes and reduced by-products contribution These impacts are expected to be partially offset by higher forecast metal prices and lower TCs El Porvenir cash cost is projected at US$(0.03)-0.18/lb Atacocha cash cost is anticipated to decrease to US$(1.16)-(1.07)/lb mainly driven by higher by-products contribution the cash cost of Vazante is expected to remain stable compared to 2024 This is supported by higher by-products contribution projected to range between US$(0.10)-0.69/lb These estimates are supported by a strong contribution from by-products leveraging the mine's polymetallic production of lead The run-of-mine mining cost is expected to range between US$69.0-US$86.6/t in 2025 reflecting the impact of ongoing operational efforts including mine development expenditures aimed at enhancing operational flexibility we expect a gradual decline in cost levels compared to the 2025 guidance conversion costs are expected to remain similar to 2024 primarily due to anticipated lower TC levels throughout the year slightly lower production and sales volumes combined with higher variable costs at Cajamarquilla are expected to be offset by higher sales volume in Peru and improved performance at Três Marias (versus 2024) as wells as reduced variable costs at this smelter Consolidated smelting cash costs are projected to increase in 2025 compared to 2024 This is mainly attributed to production adjustments driven by lower TC levels This strategy is expected to result in slightly lower metal sales in the period the cash cost of Cajamarquilla is projected to range between US$1.08-1.24/lb in 2025 primarily due to lower TC levels and higher LME zinc price which is tied to increased raw material costs Conversion cost is also expected to slightly increase from the 2024 level of US$0.27/lb the cash cost of Três Marias is estimated to range between US$1.27-1.47/lb reflecting production adjustments associated with the forecasted lower TC levels for 2025 The cash cost of Juiz de Fora is expected to range between US$1.22-1.40/lb driven by production adjustments related to planned maintenance and repairs in 1H25 with sustaining investments totaling US$316 million US$225 million is expected to be allocated to mining and US$89 million to smelting Sustaining investments are projected to increase by 21% compared to 2024 guidance primarily related to the tailings pumping system which is the central element of Phase I of the Cerro Pasco Integration Project the expansion of tailings filter capacity at Aripuanã including the acquisition and installation of a fourth filter the expansion of the tailings stockpile area at Aripuanã and the improvement of the dry stacking method at the Três Marias smelter sustaining capital expenditures are primarily allocated as follows: US$105 million for underground mine development US$44 million related to Cerro Pasco's tailings pumping system (Phase I of the project) US$9 million for expanding tailings filter capacity at Aripuanã US$34 million for tailings storage facility ("TSF") enhancements and US$4 million for heavy mobile equipment ("HME") maintenance The remaining amount is expected to cover general maintenance the majority of sustaining capital expenditures are primarily allocated as follows: US$46 million for general maintenance which includes US$8 million dedicated to the improvement of the dry stacking method at the Três Marias smelter and US$8 million for the replacement of electro-filters at Cajamarquilla Safety and Environmental ("HS&E") capital expenses are forecasted at US$18 million Other Non-Expansion Capital Expenses are forecasted at US$11 million including US$1 million in non-recurring IT expenses for the second phase of the Enterprise Resource Planning ("ERP") modernization program US$1 million for the biofuel project at Três Marias and US$4 million allocated for various automation projects across all units (1) Investments in tailing dams are included in sustaining expenses IT and others.(3) Includes several projects in Vazante to improve operational performance 2025 Exploration & Project Evaluation and Other Expenses we remain committed to replacing and increasing mineral reserves and resources we plan to advance exploration efforts focused on identifying new ore bodies and upgrading resource classifications through infill drilling campaigns we plan to invest US$70 million in exploration US$50 million is expected to be allocated to mineral exploration expenses primarily targeting greenfield and brownfield projects Our project evaluation expense guidance is set at US$18 million which includes an IT system simplification project and a project to extend the life of the tailings dam at the El Porvenir mine The remaining amount is expected to fund corporate IT initiatives and other projects across our business units we plan to invest US$6 million in technology aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and US$14 million to support the social and economic development of our host communities Note: Exploration and project evaluation expenses consider several stages of development and subsequent scoping and pre-feasibility studies (FEL1 and FEL2) The financial results for the fourth quarter and full fiscal year of 2024 are expected to be published on Thursday Nexa will host a conference call to discuss the results on Friday low-cost integrated zinc producer with over 65 years of experience developing and operating mining and smelting assets in Latin America Nexa currently owns and operates five long-life mines three of which are located in the central Andes region of Peru and two of which are located in Brazil (one in the state of Minas Gerais and one in the state of Mato Grosso) Nexa also currently owns and operates three smelters two of which are located in the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil which is the largest smelter in the Americas Nexa was among the top five producers of mined zinc globally in 2024 and one of the top five metallic zinc producers worldwide in 2024 Investor Relations Teamir@nexaresources.com Nexa's management uses Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA as an additional performance measure on a consolidated basis We believe this measure provides useful information about the performance of our operations as it facilitates consistent comparisons between periods planning and forecasting of future operating results reflecting the operational performance of our existing business without the impact of interest non-cash items that do not reflect our operational performance for the specific reporting period and the impact of pre-operating and ramp-up expenses during the commissioning and ramp-up phases of greenfield projects (currently only Aripuanã has reached these stages) Pre-operating and ramp-up expenses incurred during the commissioning and ramp-up of phases of Aripuanã are not considered infrequent as they have recurred in prior years with respect to Aripuanã and may recur in the future with respect to Aripuanã or any other projects that may reach the commissioning or ramp-up phases Our management believes this adjustment is helpful because it shows our performance without the impact of specific expenses relating to a greenfield project that has reached the commissioning or ramp-up phases with no connection with the performance of our other existing operations Adjusted EBITDA also excludes the impact of (i) events that are non-recurring do not reflect our operational performance for the specific period in our management's view management may adjust the effect of certain types of transactions that in management's judgment are not indicative of the Company's normal operating activities or do not necessarily occur on a regular basis Mining segment | Cash cost net of by-products credits: for our mining operations cash cost after by-products credits includes all direct costs associated with mining on-site administration and general expenses any off-site services essential to the operation marketing costs and property and severance taxes paid to state or federal agencies that are not profit-related Treatment and refining charges on metal sales which are typically recognized as a deduction component of sales revenues Cash cost net of by-products credits is measured with respect to zinc sold per mine Mining segment | Cost ROM: includes all direct production costs for mining excluding royalties and workers' participation costs Cost ROM is measured with respect to total treated ore volume and non-metallic products revenue (such as limestone and stones) are considered as cost-reduction for our mining operations Smelting segment | Cash cost net of by-products credits: for our smelting operations after by-products credits includes all the costs of smelting Cash cost net of by-products credits is measured with respect to zinc sold per smelter Smelting segment | Conversion cost: costs incurred to convert zinc concentrate (feed) into final products measured with respect to contained zinc sold per smelter Conversion cost does not include raw material All forward-looking non-IFRS financial measures in this release This is due to the inherent difficulty of forecasting the timing or amount of items that would be included in the most directly comparable forward-looking IFRS financial measures reconciliation of the forward-looking non-IFRS financial measures to IFRS financial measures is not available without unreasonable effort and the Company is unable to assess the probable significance of the unavailable information See "Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Statements" below a qualified person for purposes of National Instrument 43-101 and a Nexa employee has approved the scientific and technical information contained in this Earnings Release Please note that the mineral reserves included in this Earnings Release were estimated in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining Metallurgy and Petroleum ("CIM") 2014 Definition Standards for Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources whose definitions are incorporated by reference in National Instrument 43-101 such information may not be comparable to similar information prepared in accordance with Subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K ("S-K 1300") Our estimates of mineral reserves may be materially different from mineral quantities we actually recover and market price fluctuations and changes in operating capital costs may render certain mineral reserves uneconomical to mine CAUTIONARY STATEMENT ON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This Press Release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements as defined in applicable securities laws (collectively referred to in this Press Release as "forward-looking statements") All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements The words "believe," "will," "may," "may have," "would," "estimate," "continues," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "expects," "budget," "scheduled," "forecasts" and similar words are intended to identify estimates and forward-looking statements Forward-looking statements are not guarantees and involve known and unknown risks uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results or achievements of NEXA to be materially different from any future results performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements Actual results and developments may be substantially different from the expectations described in the forward-looking statements for a number of reasons The unexpected occurrence of one or more of the abovementioned events may significantly change the results of our operations on which we have based our estimates and forward-looking statements Our estimates and forward-looking statements may also be influenced by environmental or other risks that could materially affect the potential development of our projects including risks related to outbreaks of contagious diseases or health crises impacting overall economic activity regionally or globally as well as risks relating to ongoing or future investigations by local authorities with respect to our business and operations and the conduct of our customers including the impact to our financial statements regarding the resolution of any such matters Our estimates and forward-looking statements may also be influenced by regulatory changes in the countries where we operate and policy shifts affecting cross-border commerce and supply chains Certain forward-looking statements are based on third-party data and assumptions that may be subject to change Nexa does not guarantee the accuracy of such external data and disclaims any obligation to update these statements unless required by law These forward-looking statements related to future events or future performance and include current estimates beliefs and statements as to management's expectations with respect to the business and operations of the Company and mining production our growth strategy the impact of applicable laws and regulations expenses related to exploration and project evaluation estimation of mineral reserves and mineral resources Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of factors and assumptions that while considered reasonable and appropriate by management are inherently subject to significant business economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies and may prove to be incorrect Statements concerning future production costs or volumes are based on numerous assumptions of management regarding operating matters and on assumptions that demand for products develops as anticipated that customers and other counterparties perform their contractual obligations full integration of mining and smelting operations that operating and capital plans will not be disrupted by issues such as mechanical failure interruption in transportation or utilities and that there are no material unanticipated variations in metal prices To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/239888 SOURCE: Nexa Resources Sign Up Company Profile Mining and Metals An isolated runway has been discovered on Google Maps and it has people asking one massive question.  The runway was discovered deep in the middle of the Brazilian jungle.  but there appear to be no roads in or out either.  The eerie image was recently shared to Reddit and no one could agree on exactly what it was doing there DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie the user asked ‘who would use this runway?’  because the Google Earth screenshot shows an isolated strip surrounded by nothing but dense jungle.  There are no aircraft hangers or planes in site either At one end of the isolated runway is the Aripuana River but there are no other visable landmarks.  When the image was uploaded to the subreddit ‘Google Earth Finds’ it drew in various weird and wonderful conspiracy theories.  One user suggested it was so hidden and remote that it could be used for ‘nefarious purposes’.  Someone else said ‘aliens’ had something to do with it Others offered arguably more practical suggestions.  One said there was a fishing resort on the banks of the Aripuana River to the north of the runway and it could be used to transport people to and from the resort.  Another said it was likely the only way to deliver goods to small villages of people dotted around the area as there were no roads going in and out.  someone suggested the isolated runway could also serve as a ‘crash landing’ for pilots in trouble.  Some were confused as to how the runway was even in use at all.  “No one [would use it] because it’s not a runway How would the plane leave after landing?” they said.  It’s not the only Google Earth Image that’s left people with more questions than answers.  A Californian man has gone viral for his videos hunting down abandoned cars on Google Maps.  especially mountain roads and off-road trails to find vehicles left behind.  he’s found more than 4000 cars across America.  He shares his discoveries on TikTok where his account ‘desertadventures’ has gained a huge following.  Together with his followers, they assess each image of abandoned cars and theorize why it was left behind.  But unlike the mysterious runway in Brazil, aliens haven’t been blamed for any of his abandoned car discoveries.  Kate Bain is Lead Editor at supercarblondie.com. She is based in Dubai and coordinates coverage of the latest news across automotive, technology, and lifestyle. Kate has a bachelor's degree in business and post graduate in journalism. She is an experienced editor and journalist who has worked for News Corp, Daily Mail Australia, and Sky News. When she's not at work, you'll find her at the park with her daughter, Charlotte, and her dog, Thor. Failed to subscribe. Please try again later. It looks like nothing was found at this location. Maybe try a search? Cash Cost for the mining and smelting segments were revised downward by 29% to 35c to 38c per pound of zinc sold for mining and 5% to $1.07 to $1.12 per pound of zinc sold for smelting primarily due to higher by-products contribution and lower treatment charges positively impacting our mining segment Exploration & Project Evaluation and Other expenses guidance are being reduced by $15M in 2023 This revision is mainly attributed to initiatives to optimize capital allocation The capital expenditure required for the pump’s replacement will not affect Capex guidance for 2023 Published first on TheFly – the ultimate source for real-time, market-moving breaking financial news. Try Now>> See today’s best-performing stocks on TipRanks >> Disclaimer & DisclosureReport an Issue See today’s best-performing stocks on TipRanks >> Disclaimer & DisclosureReport an Issue It looks like nothing was found at this location 43,000+ global companies doing business in the region 102,000+ key contacts related to companies and projects news and interviews about your industry in English NYSE] says it plans to start construction at the Aripuana zinc project in Brazil which ranks as one of the 10 largest undeveloped zinc projects in the world The announcement comes after the Environmental Authority of the State of Mato Grosso Brazil granted the installation license for the project The Aripuana Project is owned by Mineracao Dardanelos Ltda and a subsidiary of Karmin Exploration Inc.  [KAR-TSXV] Aripuana is an underground polymetallic project containing zinc The average zinc equivalent production at the Aripuana Project is estimated at 120,000 tonnes per year for 13 years a projection that is based only on the proven and probable mineral reserves which are estimated at 26.2 million tonnes The Aripuana deposits are typical Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide (VMS) are expected to support a production rate of 2.3 million tonnes of ore per year The treatment plant can treat up to 6,300 tonnes of ore per day it is estimated that Aripuana could produce an annual average  of approximately 66,700 tonnes of zinc in concentrate and 13,0000 ounces of gold contained in lead and copper concentrates The Aripuana project is expected to be operational by the beginning of 2021 with the total investment estimated at US$392 million “The approval of the construction of the Aripuana Project reinforces Nexa’s commitment to develop our pipeline of greenfield projects,” said Nexa CEO Tito Martins “We are proud to develop a world class project which incorporates high level safety standards cutting edge-environmental practises including the use of dry stacking for waste material and close to 100% recirculation of water and which utilizes high levels of automation among several other innovative initiatives,” he said Karmin Exploration is focused on gold and zinc exploration in Brazil and Peru where it has interests in several properties Karmin is not required to contribute financially to the project until the completion of a bankability study with the completion of the feasibility study Karmin has one year to decide whether it will contribute to financing the Aripuana Project on a pro-rata basis Nexa shares rose 1.01% or 16 cents to $16.03 Nexa says there is excellent potential to extend the life by up to six years at higher grades based on the significant current inferred mineral resources and Nexa’s track record of conversion to indicated resources is company that offers investors an opportunity to participate.. 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A team of scientists from Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, the Federal University of Rondônia and the Federal University of Bahia has discovered two distinctive, undescribed species of the crenuchin genus Poecilocharax living in the tributaries of the Rio Aripuanã drainage and cleared patches turned into cattle pasture,” said Dr a researcher with the Division of Fishes in the Department of Vertebrate Zoology at Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History “This made us feel a lot of urgency to document these species and publish this paper as quickly as possible.” The two newly-described species belong to Crenuchinae, a subfamily of the fish family Crenuchidae distributed in the Amazon Basin with pronounced sexual dimorphism and exuberant color patterns “This small subfamily is highly desirable in the aquarium hobbyist market,” Dr “The exotic aquarium fish trade could pose yet another threat to the two new species even as scientists are first formally identifying them and learning of their existence.” has vivid red-orange fins and a distinctive dark spot just in front of its tail It inhabits the margins of what scientists call a black water stream so named because its waters are stained the color of coffee by tannins leached from fallen leaves Males of the species have even more intense coloration and sport dorsal fins that can exceed half their body length is an amber yellow with males possessing dark streaks in their dorsal and anal fins “But perhaps the most distinctive quality of this species is that it is so small that we consider it to be miniature a designation given to any fish that is less than about an inch long when mature,” Dr “Lab study revealed that in these three-quarter-inch-long fish parts of the skeleton that are typically bone are instead made of cartilage.” The researchers encountered Poecilocharax rhizophilus among tangles of tree roots protruding from the banks of muddy watered streams Genetic investigations confirmed the evolutionary relationship of these two new closely related species and their relatives bringing the total number of species in their small sub-family to five “These are the first representatives of Crenuchinae discovered after a gap of 57 years and the first records of Poecilocharax from the tributaries of the right bank of the Rio Amazonas draining the Brazilian crystalline shield,” the scientists said “These fishes are like works of art and losing either of these species would be like losing priceless masterpieces.” The discovery is described in a paper in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society The monophyly of Crenuchinae and description of two new species of Poecilocharax (Teleostei: Crenuchidae) based on phenotypic and genotypic evidence Por un futuro en el que los humanos vivan en armonía con la naturaleza WWF® and ©1986 Panda Symbol are owned by WWF You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience Brazil — When we arrive at the first site in the Madeira River researchers from Amazonas State University (UEA) and Harvard position themselves at the stern and bow of the voadeira The vessel floats 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) upstream of Humaitá municipality to start an endeavor to monitor the water quality and mercury contamination of the largest tributary in the Amazon River Basin river dolphins feed in the water while squirrel monkeys jump from branch to branch in the embaúbas trees and two riverine men fill buckets with water in front of a banana plantation a ferry passes loaded with cargo and two illegal gold mining dredges go upstream The UEA researchers collect their water samples in seven small bottles which will be analyzed in the boat and inland laboratories and they take notes of a few parameters measured right away with a probe besides filling their own water in two 1-liter (2-pint) bottles and two 10-L (21-pt) recipients also collect riverbed sediments and riverbank soils The Madeira River is key to the Amazon River Basin both environmentally and economically From its headwaters in the Bolivian Andes mountain range it stretches more than 3,315 km (2,060 mi) until reaching the Amazon River among the 20 longest water bodies in the world The Madeira spans more than 1.42 million km2 (548,265 mi2) across three countries home to the largest fish diversity in the Amazon Basin — 60% of the species already described in the rainforest live there Ten percent of the production moved on waterways in Brazil flows through the Madeira and it hosts two major hydropower plants that account for roughly 7% of Brazil’s energy While navigating the Madeira in Amazonas state it became clear to the scientists the social importance of their research Municipalities with fewer than 60,000 inhabitants each spread over 800 km (497 mi) with a riverine population extremely dependent on the resources provided by the Madeira and its tributaries “We are concerned about the pollution of the aquatic ecosystem so we have two goals here,” said biologist Adriano Nobre a scientist of the UEA’s Chemistry Applied to Technology (QAT) research group “The creation of a water quality index for whitewater rivers and understanding the effects on environmental and public health regarding the presence of illegal miners and the mercury contamination in the water and in the fish that the population consumes.” That was the second expedition in the UEA and Harvard partnership to investigate water quality and mercury contamination in the Amazon rivers. In September 2023, a group of scientists sailed the Negro River, the second-largest tributary of the grand Amazon to benchmark its waters, and found the river in good shape The expedition led to the first water quality index (WQI) for the Amazon Basin With many more communities along its banks than the Negro the Madeira shows higher levels of fecal coliforms and ammoniacal nitrogen according to initial results from the expedition although still way below the maximum limits established by authorities All points also exceeded the safe levels of total phosphorus probably resulting from agricultural fertilizers The river has been an illegal mining hub for many years Miners use quicksilver mercury to extract gold from the riverbed sediments which is usually discarded directly into the river Although this type of mercury is not highly soluble in water and tends to deposit on the riverbed be released into the atmosphere and enter the food chain through fish usually done with floating dredges that stir up the riverbed sediments can accelerate the process of mercury contamination This poses a serious threat to the health of the river ecosystem and the local communities that depend on it for their livelihoods While the first data from the Harvard study reveal that total mercury levels in the Madeira River water are still below the limit recommended by Brazil’s Ministry of Health it is considered elevated when compared with other rivers globally “The Madeira has the added complexity of gold mining mercury inputs so we would like to see if there are significant impacts on the levels in the water and if that contamination translates in the fish that people are eating,” said biochemist Evan Routhier a researcher at Harvard’s Sunderland Lab a group dedicated to the study of global contaminants The Harvard scientists found that predatory fish in the Madeira such as pirarara (Phractocephalus hemioliopterus) have mercury levels above the safe limit for human consumption these levels were found to be below the recommended but still in an amount that demands the attention of public authorities as well as the need for continuous monitoring On board an 18-meter (60-foot) research boat Mongabay joined this expedition through the Madeira River in April 2024 navigating more than 1,800 km (1,118 mi) over 12 days between the cities of Manaus and Humaitá The Sunderland Lab scientists study the mercury cycle in the Negro and the Madeira rivers in the water soils of the riparian forest and fish most consumed by local populations The two largest tributaries of the Amazon River have opposite chemical characteristics that can influence the behavior of mercury such as pH and dissolved organic carbon concentration there are dams upriver and more deforestation in the basin which could also cause differences in the amount of mercury that’s coming into the system,” Routhier said The Madeira expedition will also help the UEA scientists develop the first WQI for whitewater basins “This index is mainly used for public supply and it needs to be adjusted to take into account the chemical physical and biological characteristics of the basin,” Nobre said In the six days navigating upstream the Madeira the researchers could observe its complexities: the vast diversity of fauna and flora in the water and in the forest the pastures of buffaloes and cattle in the mouth of the river region the traditional floodplain agriculture of the riverine communities the fishing in the main river watercourse and in the blackwater tributaries Madeira’s most populous municipality in Amazonas state Fishing is the source of income for 3,700 of the 60,000 inhabitants the researchers came across stands full of nursery tambaquis (Colossoma macropomum) and little diversity “The most missing ones are the scalefish — pacu They used to be the most traditional species here,” Osvaldo de Araújo I would catch 500 kilos [1,102 pounds] in my canoe within five days the fishers spend 12 days in order to bring that much.” two large hydroelectric plants began operating in the Madeira River with abrupt daily variations in the river level that affect the fish’s migratory patterns and many fishers shifted to illegal activities that degrade the forest and aquatic environments: deforestation “We used to drink this water from the Madeira,” José Pessoa The people who live on the riverbank suffer a lot from this because they have no other resource They must travel far away to buy water in the city.” The Paraizinho community sits 10 km (6.2 mi) upstream from Humaitá The daily life of 33 families in this community revolves around the Madeira River a source for consumption and personal hygiene and irrigation for floodplain plantations Small-scale farming supports this community, whose production is acquired by government programs. However, fishing has been hindered by the unpredictable water level variations caused by hydroelectric plants the fishers need to travel to more distant locations if they want to maintain production “People are abandoning fishing because they can’t afford the expenses to search for fish,” said João Mendonça a 50-year-old community health agent and president of the Paraizinho farmers association “Many people have shifted to mineral extractivism but they have to support their families,” he told Mongabay the research boat passed a few meters away from a huge mining raft in operation The dredge was immersed in the river and scraped sediments off the riverbed The material was sent to mats on the second floor of the vessel would be retained in a carpet with the use of the quicksilver mercury “One thing that surprised me was just how much discharge was being dumped just right into the river,” Olivia Pietz a 24-year-old PhD student in environmental science and engineering at Harvard The researchers collected samples in sites above and below mining operations Illegal gold mining ostensibly occurs in the Middle Madeira region which covers the municipalities of Humaitá two Federal Police operations in the region destroyed hundreds of mining rafts Initial data from the Harvard study revealed high levels of mercury in the Madeira, although still below the limit of 0.2 micrograms per liter (µg/L) recommended by Brazil’s Ministry of Health. When comparing its data with 446 rivers around the world, Routhier found that the Madeira falls in the upper third of these global rivers examined in an article published by Nature “So it’s in the range of what we would consider elevated.” notes that some elemental mercury used in gold mining may still be in the pure liquid phase the metal tends to seep into the riverbed and sometimes into the soil of the surrounding areas “My guess is that some mercury used is still quite patchy in its distribution and hasn’t fully diffused into the surrounding environment this is good news because you can’t see a widespread impact yet even though you know that activity is occurring,” said Sunderland a professor of environmental chemistry and planetary sciences at Harvard this doesn’t mean the Madeira River is free from a severe problem that mercury can work its way into the river and mix with the sediments and enter the atmosphere as a gas and then you’ll have an issue that is more widespread Mercury dissolved in river water makes it easier to get into the food web as well as the fish,” she said a traditional species in the diet of the Madeira’s riverine “This mercury thing has never affected us,” 59-year-old fisher Ancelmo de Menezes told Mongabay “It has never resulted in health problems for us president of Manicoré’s fishers association sees the Madeira as already polluted due to the incessant traffic of ferries we used to treat the Madeira’s water and drink it but this water is no longer consumed here in the city,” he told Mongabay “We have artesian wells with top-quality drinking water to consume.” Harvard researchers collected 29 fish in Humaitá the maximum safe limit established by Brazil’s authorities Ten jaraquis purchased in Manicoré had an amount of mercury within the limits for non-predatory fish Scientists will investigate the reasons for these results — whether they occur due to mining activity or to fish ecology The predators biomagnify the mercury and are too high for people to eat regularly But the other ones look OK for regular consumption and it would be interesting to craft advice depending on how much people eat,” Sunderland said “Monitoring helps identify which species can be consumed more frequently than the others without exceeding health-based guidelines for safe mercury exposure That’s the kind of advice that the government can provide.” The next step of the Harvard study is to analyze the other elements of the mercury cycle the organic form of this metal that bioaccumulates in fish and can cause health problems for humans “Understanding the mercury cycle is really important for the region especially the propensity for methylation and exposure for communities,” Routhier said fishers were waiting for a school of matrinxãs swimming down the Aripuanã River while illegal miners were dredging the bottom of the Madeira searching for gold beside an island right in front of the city president of Novo Aripuanã’s fishers association said he believes the mining activity contributed to the decline of fish stocks adding to the impact of hydroelectric plants Water safety is a priority issue for Novo Aripuanã the municipality with the second-highest number of diarrhea hospitalizations in Amazonas state – 1,045 per 100,000 inhabitants Only 13.7% of the city sewage is treated before being disposed of in the Aripuanã River Silvana Cabral travels from the Madeira Sustainable Development Reserve to Novo Aripuanã to sell her produce from floodplain agriculture: banana This sustainable management conservation unit has 96% of its area composed of forest from which residents extract Brazil nuts the Madeira is used for people’s basic needs the riverine residents buy water in the city “The Madeira’s water is used for everything,” said Cabral who is president of the Santa Maria do Uruá community association about 100 mining rafts gather to extract gold “The water still has the same color and the same taste which causes various types of diseases.” She said she believes the water monitoring initiated by UEA and Harvard is important to bring “an improvement to our people.” The water quality index is usually composed of nine physicochemical and microbiological parameters “Inserting this variable would be an important strategy to establish acceptable limits within the WQI,” biologist Nobre told Mongabay the UEA research group needs at least one more expedition during the drought season But the data from the first campaign already give clues about the condition of this water body Madeira is healthy — it has been able to handle the multiple human pressures that surround it As soon as the laboratory boat passes through the municipality of Nova Olinda do Norte we embark on the voadeira for the campaign’s last sampling sites The night begins to fall when we reach the final point surrounded by an aquatic horizon where the Madeira discharges 34.4 million L (9 million gallons) per second into the Amazon River UEA researcher Christopher Hildemberg states that the journey through these white waters has brought to light the effects of human actions on the Amazon Basin’s largest tributary “I still hope that the impacts that have already been caused can be mitigated in some way Banner image: Harvard researchers Evan Routhier collects water from the Madeira River near illegal mining rafts between the municipalities of Humaitá Kevin Damasio and Bruno Kelly joined the Medeira River expedition with the support of Mongabay and Ambiental Media Study to benchmark water quality finds key Amazon tributary in good shape Liu, M., Zhang, Q., Maavara, T., Liu, S., Wang, X., & Raymond, P. A. (2021). Author correction: Rivers as the largest source of mercury to coastal oceans worldwide. Nature Geoscience, 14(12), 956-956. doi:10.1038/s41561-021-00839-5 The “fortress conservation” model is under pressure in East Africa as protected areas become battlegrounds over history and global efforts to halt biodiversity loss Mongabay’s Special Issue goes beyond the region’s world-renowned safaris to examine how rural communities and governments are reckoning with conservation’s colonial origins and trying to forge a path forward […] In a remote corner of the Brazilian Amazon federal police agents hovered in helicopters above a massive gash in the rainforest canopy gaping craters and muddy pools of wastewater pockmarked the coffee-colored soil it found a deforested area the size of 118 soccer fields deep within the Tenharim Marmelos Indigenous Territory and Campos Amazonicôs National Park two reserves that are supposed to be under strict federal protection Quickly, they set ablaze the makeshift camps and heavy machinery used by wildcat miners to extract gold from the mineral-rich soil deep in the rainforest. In total, authorities destroyed trucks, engines, pumps and dredges worth 8 million reais ($1.7 million) during this month’s high-profile mission part of an operation dubbed “Reclaim,” is the latest in a series of attempts by Brazil’s new government to halt the rapid advance of deforestation and environmental crime ravaging southern Amazonas state a region that’s home to some of the Amazon’s best-preserved stretches of rainforest and a handful of its most important rivers both ecologically and for regulating the climate,” says Paulo Moutinho senior scientist at the Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM) “This is a region with very little state presence,” says Virgilio Viana superintendent at the Amazonas Sustainable Foundation (FAS) and a former environmental secretary for Amazonas state The area has seen an explosion of illegal logging cattle ranching and agricultural expansion the invasions have intensified and moved deeper into protected areas like the Tenharim Marmelos Indigenous Territory threatening the way of life of communities that depend on the forest for survival and splintering an important ecological mosaic brimming with plant and animal species a representative of the Tenharim Morogitá Indigenous People’s Association (Apitem) who has been monitoring the invasions through geographic information system (GIS) technology The destruction ravaging this part of the Amazon has also highlighted the challenges facing Brazil’s new president as he scrambles to undo the policies of his predecessor whom many blame for encouraging deforestation and environmental crimes “The government inherited everything in shambles,” Moutinho says But it’s moving too slowly — and we’re running out of time to save the forest from reaching a point of no return.” invaders have been encroaching on the forest for decades The occupation can be traced back to the 1970s first set in motion by a push from Brazil’s military dictatorship to populate the region as a way of staving off foreign invasion It began with the construction of the BR-230 highway which sliced through the heart of the rainforest and connected it to the Brazilian coast the government also built the BR-319 highway running through dense forest from Porto Velho the Amazonas state capital and the largest city in the rainforest “It was a period when environmental licensing didn’t exist,” says Fernanda Meirelles the executive secretary of the BR-319 Observatory a coalition of Brazilian and international NGOs that monitors deforestation along the highway’s trajectory “So there weren’t any social or ecological considerations.” The pair of highways ushered in a surge of deforestation a wave of migrants flocked in from the rest of Brazil lured by promises of “land without men for men without land.” Ranchers and farmers rushed to raze the forest and turn it into pasture and cropland Illegal loggers carved dirt roads deeper into the forest The territory belonging to the Tenharim Indigenous people was at the frontlines of the pressure “Our lands have been under attack ever since then,” Daiane Tenharin says by phone from the village of Campinho in the Tenharim Marmelos Indigenous Territory The tussle over land in this region continued even after the Brazilian government demarcated a total of 1.06 million hectares (2.62 million acres) in the late 1990s and early 2000s as three Indigenous reserves for the Tenharim people The territories were also meant to protect the Kaidjuwa and Igarapé Preto isolated peoples who live in these forests and for whom contact with outsiders — and the diseases they carry — can be especially dangerous hoping the land they were illegally occupying would eventually be recognized as theirs which sits directly north of Tenharim Marmelos and was the last of the Tenharim territories to be officially demarcated in 2012 there are roughly 200 families living illegally in the southern part of the Gleba B reserve and roughly 70% of this area has been deforested “They’ve put up fences around their farms … so we don’t have access to parts of our own territory,” she says only intensified when Bolsonaro came into power in 2019 promising to open up protected lands to mining and deforestation across the Amazon hit 15-year highs “Illegality got a social license from the previous government,” Viana says “And this encouraged these actors to act more aggressively.” quickly began making good on his promises to reverse course halt deforestation and punish those encroaching on protected lands he announced a new ministry focused on Indigenous people and ordered a series of ambitious police operations across the Amazon there are signs that Lula’s greener rhetoric may be having a tangible impact on environmental crime: deforestation alerts dropped by about 39% between January and June according to preliminary data from Brazil’s space agency the federal environmental enforcement agency carried out 390 operations in the Amazon region which resulted in 8,092 infraction notices and more than 2.53 trillion reais ($534 billion) in fines a spokesperson said in a statement to Mongabay The agency’s budget for combating fires during the dry season which in recent years have engulfed swaths of pristine jungle across the Amazon has also increased by 113% compared to last year Lula’s vision for the Amazon has faced staunch resistance from Congress where groups aligned with powerful agricultural interests have continued to chip away at protections In a devastating blow to Lula’s bold plans to end all illegal deforestation by 2030 this congressional bloc gutted the environmental and Indigenous ministries “The new government has already changed the narrative,” Viana says “But it is still a very challenging task to put a stop to the dynamics … that were explicitly encouraged by the previous government.” Lawmakers in the lower chamber of Congress have also passed several controversial bills that chip away at environmental protections and Indigenous rights including a proposed law that would only allow Indigenous people to claim lands they were physically living on when Brazil’s Constitution was signed in 1988 The bill is now up for a vote in the Senate The advance of the bill had a concrete impact on Daiane Tenharin’s people land grabbers and wildcat miners began to invade Tenharim Marmelos the first of her people’s reserves to be officially demarcated in 1996 and long the Tenharim’s best protected slice of territory Marco temporal “only increased their interest in our lands,” Daiane says people were even celebrating … They say that As lawmakers wage a political tug-of-war over environmental policy, deforestation has continued largely undeterred in Amazonas, the second-most deforested state across the region in the first five months of the year, according to an analysis by Imazon the destruction has spilled over into important conservation reserves like Aripuanã National Forest which was created in 2016 to safeguard traditional peoples guarantee water resources and preserve the rich biodiversity of the region Invasions have also intensified within public forests that are not yet under official government protection “These undesignated areas are really vulnerable,” he says where people think that it is no-man’s-land Though still reeling from deep budget cuts in recent years, federal agencies have signaled they will not sit idly by. IBAMA earlier this year seized 3,000 head of cattle from embargoed areas totaling 25,000 hectares (62,000 acres) in Manicoré and Lábrea federal agents have already carried out three operations and are planning further missions the federal agency overseeing protected areas “The Aripuanã National Forest is located in the new agricultural frontier of the Amazon,” she wrote in a statement noting deforestation is jeopardizing the sustainable development of the region who heads Lula’s newly created Indigenous affairs ministry has promised to visit the Tenharim Indigenous lands next month touring the region by helicopter to evaluate the extent of the crisis within the territory Lula has not yet sent a clear signal about his plans to pave a stretch of the BR-319 highway that runs through the southern part of Amazonas state The highway project, intended to improve a degraded slice of BR-319 and ease the transportation of timber — and, eventually, soy — out of the remote region, has been stalled for years by environmental concerns. But it made important advances under Bolsonaro, spurring a frenzy of speculative land grabbing in the region Lula has remained ambiguous on the future of the project Brazil’s Ministry of Environment and IBAMA which is responsible for reviewing the project’s environmental licensing did not respond to questions from Mongabay about the status of the project an IBAMA representative responded with a statement that said federal agencies are currently preparing environmental studies but the process is “still at a very preliminary stage.” However the statement acknowledged that deforestation in this region has increased especially in the regions of Humaitá and Apuí which the agency sees as “priorities in the fight against deforestation.” “We are working on various strategies to combat deforestation notably with the embargo of illegally deforested areas,” the statement read Paving this stretch of BR-319 risks ushering in more destruction including giving rise to the construction of regional roads branching off it consolidating a destructive economic model in the region “The BR-319 is the path to linking the arc of deforestation … to an area that “This will certainly heat up the occupation of the region.” Banner image of BR230 in Terêrim Marmelos Indigenous Territory Image by Bruno Kelly/Amazonia Real via Wikimedia Commons (CC 2.0) Editor’s note: This story was powered by Places to Watch a Global Forest Watch (GFW) initiative designed to quickly identify concerning forest loss around the world and catalyze further investigation of these areas Places to Watch draws on a combination of near-real-time satellite data automated algorithms and field intelligence to identify new areas on a monthly basis GFW is supporting data-driven journalism by providing data and maps generated by Places to Watch Mongabay maintains complete editorial independence over the stories reported using this data Feedback: Use this form to send a message to the editor of this post New evidence appears to show that a driver working for the world’s largest meatpacker was involved in transporting cattle from a farm that was sanctioned for illegal deforestation to another farm that directly supplies the company Photographs from the social media account of truck driver Alessandro Ale taken in July 2019 and uncovered by The Bureau of Investigative Journalism The Guardian and Reporter Brasil show him driving a vehicle bearing the JBS logo in a convoy through the south of the Amazon before dropping off about 250 cattle “Working with good fellas is always a joyful ride,” he captioned a picture on Facebook in Portuguese has annual revenues of $50 billion and slaughters almost 35,000 cattle a day in Brazil alone Its beef exports to mainland Europe increased by a fifth in recent years But they add that they cannot monitor indirect suppliers that raise cattle to be sold to direct suppliers for fattening While the world’s retailers and food producers have so far accepted these assurances they may face challenges in light of the new evidence the farm where Ale said he picked up the “skinny” or unfattened cattle was fined 2.2 million reais ($420,000) for destroying a swath of the Amazon rainforest on land at that ranch were taken to a farm that directly supplies JBS JBS said that it would investigate the findings and added that the evidence uncovered “does not reflect its operating standards.” The company said independent audits show none of the cattle in its direct supply chain come from newly cleared rainforest JBS began as a family butcher shop in Brazil but has grown into the world’s largest meat company; its subsidiaries control vast swaths of chicken production in the U.S That growth has come at a cost. In 2017 JBS’s holding company paid one of the biggest fines in global corporate history, at $3.2 billion, after admitting to bribing hundreds of politicians. The Batista brothers, who took over the family business from their father, have been investigated multiple times Last week, Amnesty International released a report alleging that JBS had bought cattle illegally reared on the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau indigenous reserve and the Rio Jacy-Paraná and Rio Ouro Preto extractive reserves in Rondônia state the epicenter of 2019’s fires in the Amazon Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon surpassed 10,000 square kilometers (3,900 square miles) in 2019 according to the latest data from Brazil’s national space research institute says that it has a “zero tolerance” approach to illegal deforestation and has introduced sophisticated monitoring systems for its direct suppliers the company has insisted that it is impossible to monitor its indirect suppliers because there are no publicly available records of livestock moving between farms at different stages of the rearing process Critics say that the situation – which affects all beef firms sourcing from the Amazon Marfrig and Minerva Foods – enables a form of “cattle laundering”  in which livestock from “dirty” farms linked to deforestation can end up being moved and mixed in with cattle from “clean” farms Publicly both the Brazilian meat industry and its critics agree that tackling cattle traceability is key to preserving the rainforest But the story of Ale’s convoy shows how quickly supposedly untraceable cattle from farms directly tied to illegal destruction of the Amazon can arrive at farms feeding into JBS’s global supply chain Ale and his colleagues were trucking cattle through the rainforest from Fazenda Estrela do Aripuanã a ranch in the northwest of Mato Grosso state the first farm from which Ale picked up the cattle is operated by Ronaldo Venceslau Rodrigues da Cunha a businessman who breeds cattle and has one of the biggest beef enterprises in Brazil His company boasts of 102,000 cattle bred and fattened across 16 ranches spanning some 72,000 hectares (178,000 acres) of pasture Its website tells the colorful story of how Cunha’s cattle empire grew from humble beginnings complete with details of various family tragedies and the highs and lows of cattle trading was previously fined 2.2 million Brazillian reais for deforestation of rainforest on land at Aripuanã Records published by Brazil’s environment agency clearly show 1,455 hectares (3,600 acres) of land placed under an official embargo — which prohibits cattle grazing — as a result of the deforestation Embargoes are imposed for environmental violations and serve both as a punishment and protective measure to allow land to recover The website also fails to mention that the Aripuanã ranch was ravaged by at least four separate forest fires between 2018 and 2019 While there is no suggestion that these fires were started deliberately to clear further forest for pasture they show how deforested land can be vulnerable to fires Ale and his fellow JBS drivers appear to have driven the Aripuanã cattle to a second farm also run by a Cunha company has no embargoes owing to deforestation and so would be regarded as a “clean” supplier Although Ale’s Facebook post showed him making that journey just once the investigation established that cattle are regularly transported from the Aripuanã farm to Sangue farm Cattle movement records show that from June 2018 to August 2019 at least 7,000 animals were dispatched from the first farm to the second Separate records show that the Sangue farm sent some 7,000 cattle to JBS abattoirs between November 2018 and November 2019 Cunha did not respond to a request for comment from the Bureau Although it is impossible to track the exact movements and destinations of individual cattle the regularity of livestock movements between the farms – and the sizeable number of animals from the second ranch ending up in JBS meat plants – provides some of the strongest evidence yet suggesting the manner in which cattle laundering may occur in practice The reporters found evidence of JBS repeatedly promoting its own trucks for transporting cattle between indirect suppliers and direct suppliers JBS executives promote the routes as “three-legged journeys”: picking up “skinny” cattle at one farm exchanging them for fattened cows at a second appearing to show him trucking cattle between different farms on at least one other trip puts pressure on businesses around the world to review their ties with JBS if they wish to avoid being linked to concerns about the destruction of the Amazon “Time after time JBS has been caught red-handed profiting from Amazon destruction,” John Sauven “We are now facing a climate and nature breakdown and JBS bears a significant weight of responsibility With meat products from JBS ending up in supermarkets and fast food restaurants globally Retailers must stop trading with all JBS-owned companies while we still have enough of the Amazon left to fight for.” The cattle reared and slaughtered in Brazil become beef sold around the world a supply-chain initiative run by the Stockholm Environment Institute and NGO Global Canopy revealed that JBS’s global beef exports were linked to up to 300 km2 (115 mi2) of deforestation annually in Brazil JBS told the Bureau it had investigated the evidence and found that “the collection farm was not shown to be within any embargoed area,” according to the company’s system JBS said it introduced a new system on July 1 that it “expected to make a significant impact in the reduction of cattle laundering … We are working towards a completely transparent supply chain.” The company added that it “does not purchase cattle from farms involved in irregularities” and that it “takes an unequivocal zero deforestation approach.” A spokesperson said: “JBS has always been at the forefront of industry initiatives to combat so-called ‘cattle laundering.’” JBS added that its trucking operation ensures “livestock are transported according to the highest standards of animal welfare” and that their operations “reduce the environmental impact of transporting cattle by optimising the truck fleet.” Banner image: Cattle at one of the 70,000 suppliers used by JBS one of Brazil’s largest beef producers Feedback: Use this form to send a message to the editor of this post Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information 2023 at 1:55 PM EDTBookmarkSaveLock This article is for subscribers only.Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s ambitious pledge to end illegal deforestation of the Amazon rainforest by 2030 is going regional The eight South American nations that make up the Amazon rainforest have agreed to adopt the pledge in August, Peruvian Environment Minister Albina Ruiz said in a news conference on Thursday 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Karmin Exploration Inc (“Karmin” or the “Company”) (TSXV and Lima Stock Exchange: KAR) is pleased to announce that at a special meeting of shareholders of Karmin (“Shareholders”) held earlier today (the “Meeting”) Shareholders approved a special resolution (the “Arrangement Resolution”) authorizing the previously announced plan of arrangement (the “Arrangement”) involving among other things the acquisition of the Company by Votorantim Metals Canada Inc a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nexa Resources S.A for cash consideration of approximately US$0.77 (the “Consideration”) for each outstanding common share of the Company (each pursuant to an arrangement agreement dated August 26 in respect of each Karmin Share that they hold immediately prior to the acquisition of the Karmin Shares by the Purchaser Nexa will not be involved in the management or operations of Kar Gold 20,615,138 shares of VI Mining PLC (“VI Mining”) Kar Gold recently crystalized a contingent right to receive additional VI Mining shares following the transfer of certain non-material rights to VI Mining from Karmin’s subsidiary Mineração Rio Aripuanã Ltda The resolution approving the Arrangement was passed by 100% of the votes cast by Shareholders present in person or represented by proxy at the Meeting Further information about the Arrangement is set forth in the materials prepared by Karmin in respect of the Meeting, which were mailed to Shareholders and are filed under Karmin’s profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com The common shares of Karmin are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange and the Lima Stock Exchange and trade in both markets under the symbol “KAR” The principal business of Karmin is to acquire The Company’s key asset is its 30% interest in the construction-stage Aripuanã zinc project in Brazil Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements Forward looking statements are often identified by terms such as “may” “intend” or the negative of these terms and similar expressions Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements with respect to the anticipated completion of the Arrangement there can be no assurance that the Arrangement will be completed These forward-looking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results may vary Important factors that may cause actual results to vary include the timing and receipt of certain approvals including necessary court approval in connection with the Arrangement and the satisfaction of the conditions precedent to the Arrangement The actual results or performance by the Company could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements relating to those matters no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur what impact they will have on the results of operations or financial condition of the Company Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and reflect our expectations as of the date hereof the Karmin disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements Karmin undertakes no obligation to comment on the expectations of third parties in respect of the matters discussed above Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release Dryden Gold is an exploration company focused on the discovery of high-grade gold mineralization. The Company Controls a 100% interest in a dominant strategic land position in the Dryden District of Northwestern Ontario... LEARN MORE It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications You'd think runways are built with practicality in mind but this appears not to have been the case with one random airfield in Brazil There are over 40,000 airports across the globe, with the likes of Canada, the UK, Russia, and Germany having some of the most One of the most remote airports on the planet is Mataveri International Airport It earned its title of being one of the world's most remote airports as it's over 2,300 miles away from another airport - that being Santiago International Airport But another extremely remote airfield is located in Brazil and it's surrounded with nothing but jungle The isolated runway is by the Aripuana River which sits in in the Mato Grosso and Amazonas states in north-western Brazil A Google Maps screenshot of the unusually-placed airfield was recently shared on Reddit a Redditor pondered who would use such a runway "A pilot," one person quipped in response "A narco smuggler," suggested a second and dozens of others echoed similar sentiments Someone else wrote: "My guess is if you panned out you would see the river breaking off into many smaller ones "Think of this as an Amazon hub for the Amazon From this strip they can deliver goods to hundreds of small villages." Arauazinho Village and Nova Olinda are some examples of two villages that are located by the Aripuana River Another person suggested that it could be an ideal landing spot for someone with a small plane They added: "These are not uncommon in the slightest for general aviation pilots who own both a large tract of land and a plane A dirt or grass strip is almost free to build." The runway in question is believed to be that of Aripuana Airport and is 1,300 meters long This is substantially smaller than your average airport's runway, which typically ranges between 2,438 and 3,962 meters, says Stantec Smaller airports like Aripuana's might have runways that are more like 1,500 meters While this airport's runway is pretty short there's an even shorter one at Juancho E Yrausquin Airport in the Caribbean Netherlands This particular runway is only 400 meters long and, with this in mind, can only welcome smaller aircrafts to land there; a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter, for example, which seats between 18 and 20 passengers, Metro Online reports Topics: Reddit, Google Maps, Travel, World News Niamh Shackleton is an experienced journalist for UNILAD specialising in topics including mental health and showbiz as well as anything Henry Cavill and cat related Nexa Resources SA (NYSE: NEXA) stock rose 3.51% on Feb 15th 2019 and continued its bullish momentum even in the after-hours rising over 1.7% The company has reported Production by metal in 2018 was within the annual guidance range for all metals and NEXA surpassed the top of the range of the guidance for gold by 16% which the company had recently revised upward 7,992koz of silver and 29koz of gold compared to 375kt of zinc 7,946koz of silver and 33 koz of gold in 2017 Production by metal in 4Q18 totaled 103kt of zinc 2,197koz of silver and 8koz of gold compared to 102kt of zinc 2,271koz of silver and 8koz of gold in the same period of 2017 NEXA has posted 17% decline in the revenues to US$583 million in 4Q18 compared to 4Q17 partially offset by higher sales volumes from the smelters EBITDA reached US$131 million compared to US$222 million in 4Q17 which is lower by 41.2% due to a significant decrease in LME prices NEXA has approved the appointment of Rodrigo Menck to succeed Mario Bertoncini as Nexa’s Senior Vice-President of Finance and CFO starting March 1st NEXA has declared a cash dividend of US$0.525494 per common share considering 133,208,125 shares outstanding as of December 31 to shareholders of the Company of record at the close of business on March 14 The cash dividend is expected to be paid on March 28 the company repurchased 112,388 common shares for an aggregate purchase price of US$1.350 million the company expect zinc mining production to expand approximately 3% versus 2018 the company is increasing the CAPEX compared to 2018 This is primarily due to the initial investment in the Aripuanã project the most advanced greenfield project in the pipeline The company has received the Installation License for Aripuanã on December 20 2018 and started investing in construction immediately NEXA estimate the company will spend approximately 35% (or US$140 million) of the total US$392 million capex estimated for the Aripuanã project in 2019 the planned investments for 2019 is total approximately US$280 million This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website These cookies do not store any personal information Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.