The Mozambican coal exploration extension communities warn of pollution.
“Yourextraction and mining practices are not consistent with whatever human experience is defended and protected within the universal enunciation of human rights”, reads an epistle delivered to the company by representatives of at least eight neighborhoods of Moatize and to which Lusa had entry today.
In the last three years alone, Vulcan has produced more than 35 million tons of coal annually at its mines in Moatize, in the Mozambique core, an operation bought in April 2022 from Brazil’s Vale for more than US$270 million (€257 million).
According to residents, the company’s operation is putting the health and infrastructure of communities at risk, leaving the environment “completely inhospitable”.
“We live in a lying and exaggeratedly polluted environment, which compromises, to a large extent, the immune system of adults and the health of new and future generations, the latter being the most vulnerable […]. We are heirs to the damage caused by the exploitation of Vale and, now, of Vulcan”, reads the epistle of the plaintiffs, who promise not to take the case to the authorities for now, waiting for solutions.
⇒Lusa still tried, without much success, to obtain a position from Vulcan.
The Indian private company is part of the Jindal Group, with a market value of US$18 billion (€16.5 billion), and was previously present in Mozambique, operating the Chirodzi mine, also located in the Tete region.
Vale was present in Mozambique for 15 years, having explored the Moatize mine and 912 kilometres of railway in the Nacala Logistics Corridor for the transport of coal.
In May this year, the president of Vulcan told Lusa that he expects to reach between 50 and 52 million tons this year and be among the world’s largest producers.
“When we took over in 2022, our production was around 23 or 24 million tons […]. In the last three years, we have increased to around 35 and 36 million. By the end of this year, we will be reaching around 50 to 52 million tonnes. Thus, we will be the second largest metallurgical coal mining company in the world,” said Mukesh Kumar at the time.