Innovation and sustainability increasingly become hallmarks of the municipality of Paragominas, which celebrates its 59th anniversary on January 23rd. Among the main economic activities of the municipality are livestock, forestry production, and mining. According to 2021 data from the National Mining Agency, the city ranks sixth among mining municipalities in Brazil.

The production of bauxite at Hydro Paragominas completes 17 years this March. The mine, which is the first link in the aluminum chain, is one of the main ones in operation in Pará and has been working to be a great ally in the city's development. Some of the most recent contributions are related to innovation and carbon emission reduction.

“As signatories of the Climate Pact, part of the Paragoclima project, our actions, which have been developed for years, are adding to the goals for the city to achieve carbon neutrality. We have several actions in this regard to achieve even our own ambition of reducing our emissions by 30% by 2030,” comments Anderson Martins, industrial director of Hydro Paragominas.

One innovation was the introduction of electric cars into the operational routine, acquired in 2023 by the mining company to compose its light vehicle fleet, replacing conventional diesel-fueled models, and a change in the structure of the light vehicle leasing contract, replacing 50% of the diesel combustion fleet with ethanol combustion vehicles.

“The acquisition of electric cars means a reduction of 120 tons of CO2 emissions per year, representing 332 trees planted in the same period. By changing the fuel, we also reduce 575 tons of CO2 in the environment. And we continue researching in the market new alternatives to reduce the use of diesel in operations,” comments Eduardo Pedras, Infrastructure Manager of Hydro Paragominas.

The company is also already working with electric trucks, and eight buses that transport employees to and from the city and circulate within the mine have been equipped with an innovative 100% electric air conditioning system in partnership with the Paragominas supplier, Caliman. The expectation is to generate an estimated reduction of 220 tons of CO2 per year, according to the contractor.

“We have the purpose of creating a more viable society by developing natural resources into products and solutions in an innovative and efficient way. We will continue with our actions in partnership with research institutions, class entities, and all governmental spheres, in favor of sustainable territorial development of the regions where we operate. In this way, we hope to continue contributing to the sustainable growth and development of the municipality of Paragominas,” concludes Anderson Martins.