We believe in research as an indispensable factor for development, following the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.

Our studies in the Amazon region have the mission of contributing to environmental challenges, generating knowledge for society. To understand this biodiversity as rich as it is unknown, we carry out innovative research, such as the one that identified more than 800 genetic references of fauna and reproduced critical species of flora from the reed beds and cavities in the Amazon region. This is how, every day, we expand both the knowledge and the business frontier sustainably.

Filter projects by area:

Emissions inventory and carbon removal

Foto aérea de ampla vegetação.

Photo: Ricardo Teles, 2020

Knowledge of carbon emissions and removals is essential for companies seeking to reduce their impact on climate change. This project aims to estimate the annual carbon flux from land use and land cover change in areas of interest to Vale, considering the age of secondary vegetation and prioritizing the use of local data. The study area comprises about 1.5 million hectares distributed in the following countries: Brazil, Mozambique, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Canada.

Water resources

Fotografia de um rio com vegetação ao fundo.

Photo: João Marcos Rosa / Nitro, 2011

Research in this field aims to diagnose and predict social and environmental impacts and risks in watersheds where Vale operates. We analyze the hydrological cycle processes through mathematical modeling, remote sensing, and local data – water availability, evapotranspiration, flooding, morphology, sedimentology, geochemistry, and flood risk in plains. Furthermore, we map and analyze the environmental quality of springs. The information generated by the projects provides subsidies for the management and planning of water resources.

Forest recomposition

Foto: Ricardo Teles, 2020

Due to the extent of deforested areas and their restoration costs, defining priority regions for forest recomposition is crucial. The project aims to analyze native vegetation protection areas in different study regions and indicate priority areas for reforestation. A method for defining these areas was developed and applied to the Itacaiúnas river basin, considering water resources, forest connectivity, the suitability of the environments as habitat, and the chance of successful restoration. The current results indicate areas that need to be legally restored and places where restoration would bring the most benefits, considering the selected environmental criteria.

Recovery of degraded areas

Foto de espaços de terra com algumas plantações.

Photo: Marcelo Coelho, 2012

This study develops techniques and experiments to enable the vegetal recovery of mined areas. This is made possible by developing protocols for the propagation of native species for revegetation of the mines in Carajás and improving planting techniques. In addition, some experiments applied in the project seek to validate indicators of the recovery status of degraded areas.

Weather and Climate

Vista aérea das vegetações e casas de uma cidade.

Photo: Squitter, 2021

The project aims to increase employee safety and improve planning and productivity in mineral chain operations, focusing on meteorology. Research is based on numerical weather modeling, lightning incidence analysis, monthly and seasonal precipitation forecasts using statistical models, and climate change scenarios based on regional climate modeling. Results are applied in mining, railroad, and port areas in Brazil’s North and Southeast regions.

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