The mayor of the city of Igarapé, located in the Brazilian southeastern state of Minas Gerais, has issued a decree halting the implementation of an iron ore project being developed by MUSA, the mining subsidiary of the steel producer Usiminas.
MUSA received in December 2022 the authorization to operate the mine in Itatiaiuçu, with an expected production pace of 1.5 million mt of iron ore per year.
The company said that it bought the propriety 13 years ago, adding that its project is based on safety and environmental protection.
Meanwhile, a federal court has suspended the operation license of Taquaril Mineração, blocking the implementation of the iron ore project near the city of Nova Lima, also in the Minas Gerais state.
The Taquaril project had an expected production pace of 2.5 million mt per year.
According to the local press, both vetoes can be contested.