C2C Exploration (Sao Paulo, Brazil) Production at Santo Amaro Mine Unimpaired by Railway Protests
Despite efforts from local Brazilian Indians to immobilise the railway system used by Vale and local miners around the Carajas iron ore mine earlier this week, most local miners such as C2C Exploration have remained largely unaffected.
Online, July 13, 2013 (Newswire.com) - Oct. 4, 2012 - Large scale protests made by local Brazilian Indians in response to the presence of Vale's (Brazil's largest mining outfit) Carajas iron ore mine, on Tuesday 2nd October caused the railway system (EFC) to grind to a halt, and in turn disrupted Vale's production and transportation.
The rationale behind these protests according to local sources, related to allegedly unrecognised property rights to local sites. Segments of the railway between the Mineirinho and Auzilandia in the northern state of Maranhao, were seized making the transportation of passengers, and Iron Ore from the Carajas mine temporarily impossible.
Vale's official statement said that incidents of social unrest are always regrettable as they put lives of employees and the public at risk. The statement further inferred the company's desire to co-exist harmoniously within the local community, along with other local miners.
C2C Exploration C.E.O. Mr Chris Jarvis commented on the protests saying "This is exactly the kind of incident that necessitates for us, the implementation of fair and mutually beneficial local community policies. At C2C Exploration we aim to give as much back to the local community as possible, via education funding, recruiting from within the local area, and offering medical services to the family of employees. We believe that in this way we can avoid such incidents."
Since 2008, when the global equity markets began to suffer the detrimental effect of the economic crisis, the market price of gold has more doubled from under $800 to over $1700 per ounce, thus the South American mining industry has thrived. This vast expansion however has led for some miners, to an increase in the prevalence of clashes between protesters and local security forces.
C2C Exploration however, has never directly been targeted by protesters, and on this occasion, has seen production almost totally unimpaired by these protests in the region.