Brazil’s Ministerio Publico Federal (MPF), a body of public prosecutors, said late this week local iron ore producer Vale should be condemned for damages to the environment when building the Carajas iron ore railway.
Vale tried to appeal the MPF public lawsuit, but a Brazilian court denied the miner’s request. MPF said Vale deforested and illegally occupied a preservation area when building its 892-km long iron ore railway. The railroad transports 120 million mt of iron ore from the world’s largest open pit iron ore mine, the Carajás mine. It also transports about 350,000 passengers per year.
Prosecutors said Vale’s appeal was an attempt to re-discuss the merits of the case.