The House of Representatives of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais has started to evaluate the inclusion of Serra do Curral, a mountain range surrounding the capital city of Belo Horizonte, in the list of heritage sites of the state.
If approved, the inclusion will mean the cancelation of the Taquaril iron ore project, currently being developed by Taquaril Mineração SA (Tamisa), destined to produce a total of 31 million mt of iron ore over the next 13 years, at the cost of the deforestation of 41 hectares of native vegetation
According to the group of representatives in favor of the inclusion, Serra do Curral is the most representative geographic mark of Belo Horizonte, not only for aesthetical reasons, but also for its fauna, flora, and other resources, including the supply of water to the city.
The group added that Serra do Curral is already the object of protection by federal and municipal law, but these acts of legislation were not sufficient to ensure its conservation.