Research Fragments
Li-batteries on the banks of the Jequitinhonha
Who profits from the exploitation of Jequitinhonha’s natural resources?
by Matthew Bomparola • October 2024
Colossoma macropomum, in watercolor
by Jacques Burkhardt
Teffe, Brazil on October 5, 1865
INTRODUCTION — The valley of Jequitinhonha occupies a river basin that stretches 700 miles (1,000 km) from the Espinhaço, or Ridge, Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean. In the past, the region was clothed in Mata Atlântica and populated by indigenous peoples including Pataxo, Cinta Vermelha, and Pankararz, among others who spoke branches of the wide-ranging Macro-Jê language family. Today, it is savannah-like cerrado and, however beautiful its artisanship and wide-ranging its cultural influence, it is one of the economically poorest regions of Brazil.
The transformation of Jequitinhonha’s resources into other peoples’ money was an irreversible process—a deal signed between politicians, loggers, and garimperos and executed by disenfranchised, imported—often enslaved—labor. The transformation continues today.
I’m reading about Jequitinhonha because my country, the United States of America, plays a big role in the exploitation of South American natural resources. Many Americans earn a living in or consume products made by industries that rely upon the trade of soy, sugar, coffee, fuel, and in this case, lithium.
Lithium is a hot topic because it is one of the rare earth metals used to produce the technology of the ‘global energy transition.’ Estimates vary, but the Jequitinhonha River Valley may be home to about 8% of the world’s potential reserves.
If Earth is to sustain future generations of life, the transition is non-negotiable. But maybe we should know a bit more about the regions sacrificed to extract the material we use to produce ‘modern life.’ What’s lost in the process, and by whom?
No human alive remembers first-hand, for example, what life was like on the banks of the Jequitinhonha before the systematic exploration of its natural resources. The word Jequitinhonha holds a clue…
Etymology of the word Jequitinhonha
“Despite the rough shape it’s in, we’ve extracted an excerpt from Indigenismos that explains the etymology of the word Jequitinhonha, the most convincing that we’ve seen so far. It breaks down the river’s name as follows: jiqui-itá-hy-nhonha. Where jiqui means jequi, a trap used for fishing, or a “funnel-shaped basket woven from bamboo, which, when filled with bait, is thrown into the river to catch live fish… This meaning aligns with the popular etymology that formed the hybrid no jequi tem onha, where onha means fish, literally translated: ‘there are fish in the trap.’
Originally published in the newspaper A Voz do Serro
January 31, 1913
Need to combine clips and cut more off of each of them.
Building and setting a Jequi
clips from YouTuber Milton Hollerbach
January 29, 2024
Archaeobotanical findings in the highlands of Minas Gerais
“…Evidences of hunter-gatherers in the region of the Atlantic Forest are about 11,000 years old. Stone implements of that age are widespread…Human remains 10,000 years old have been found in caves north of present-day Belo Horizonte, also in open country.
For these first human immigrants, the forest was probably of little interest…They preferred to set up their camps near watercourses, which were wooded along their margins. Gallery forest offered shade and water and was the resort of animals attracted to these same resources. Thus humans occupied a familiar niche—the zone of encounter or “ecotone” between two biotic systems… Apart from those forays, forested land was probably an unpromising dwelling place, because animals were scarcer there and harder to hunt…
…Archaeological surveys carried out recently at numerous hydroelectric dam sites have found [hunter-gatherer] campsites all along the upland watercourses, usually at a distance of a few hundred meters from the streams, suggesting perhaps how far the gallery forests once extended. Their prey must have included several species of deer, monkeys, capybaras, peccaries… Some sites depended largely on giant land crabs. Fishing was undoubtedly a critical resource.”
Excerpt from Warren Dean, With Broadax and Firebrand
published in 1995
HERE IMAGES OF JEQUITINHONHA TODAY
The Valley of Jequitinhonha before and after
the arrival of the Portuguese
Português (original):
“A primeira expedição a penetrar no Vale do então chamado rio das Almas foi comandada por Francisco Bruza Espinosa em 1553, e chegou até aos sopés da Serra do Espinhaço… Em 1729 foram descobertos diamantes em Diamantina e, logo depois, em Grão Mogol…
Felizmente, entre essas levas de “caçadores de fortuna fácil” chegaram também alguns artistas, estudiosos e naturalistas, que deixaram registros preciosos do ambiente natural original do Vale do Jequitinhonha..
[Uma] figura ilustre que fez registros importantes das paisagens da região foi Johann Baptist Emanuel Pohl, integrante da Missão austríaca ao Brasil entre 1817 e 1822. Especialista em mineralogia e botânica, o austríaco Pohl… empreendeu uma expedição por conta própria ao longo de quatro anos pelas províncias do Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais e Goiás…
As descrições do Vale do Jequitinhonha deixadas por Pohl falam das extensas chapadas que dominavam o cenário da região e também das inúmeras grotas de onde brotavam pequenos cursos d’água e se formavam pequenos vales. ‘Nas suas margens, matas úmidas e fechadas, chamadas capões, com árvores altas, produziam sombras e temperaturas amenas.‘
…Nas florestas de matas virgens perambulavam grandes manadas de veados, além de bandos de macacos, antas, capivaras, porcos-do-mato, tartarugas, lontras e aves como araras, tucanos, papagaios e mutuns. As narrativas dão destaques para as perigosas onças, pretas e pardas, e também para as serpentes como a sucuri, surucucu e cascavel…
As paisagens bucólicas descritas por Pohl e Saint-Hilaire começaram a desaparecer já nas últimas décadas do século XIX devido ao aumento da criação de gado nessa região. Esse surto é chamado por muitos de “colonização baiana” e foi muito forte entre 1890 e 1930. …[as]matas das planícies do Vale do Jequitinhonha também passaram a ser derrubadas e queimadas para a abertura de fazendas e de pequenos sítios de produção de culturas subsistência…
Leopoldo Pereira faz um relato dramático da situação dos rios: “…que de 40 anos, e mais acentuadamente, de 20 anos a esta parte [1905], as águas do Norte de Minas têm diminuído de mais da metade. É convicção dos velhos residentes neste município que os próprios rios grandes e navegáveis, Jequitinhonha e Araçuaí, já não são volumosos como antigamente. …o machado do lavrador e o fogo das queimadas estão esterilizando o Norte de Minas”
…Com o crescimento cada vez maior dos desmatamentos em todo o Vale do Jequitinhonha, os caudais do rio foram ficando cada vez menores, o que passou a inviabilizar a navegação em muitos trechos. E o antigo Vale, rico em biodiversidade, acabou sendo transformado em uma das regiões mais pobres do Brasil.”
English (my translation):
“The first expedition to penetrate the Valley [of Jequitinhonha] by way of the then Almas River was commanded by Francisco Bruza Espinosa in 1553, arriving at the base of the Espinhaço [Ridge] Mountains… In 1729 diamonds were discovered in Diamantina and, not long after, in Grão Mogol…
Thankfully, alongside these “hunters of easy fortune” also arrived some artists, students, and naturalists, who left precious records of the original natural environment of the Valley of Jequitinhonha…
[One] illustrious figure who made important records of travels in the region was Johann Baptist Emanuel Pohl… Specialist in mining and botany, the Austrian undertook, on his own account, a four-year expedition in the provinces of Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, and Goiás…
The descriptions of the Valley of Jequtinhonha left by Pohl describe the extensive plateaus that dominate the scenery of the region and the innumerable caves in which blossom small waterways that form little valleys. ‘On their margins, humid and closed-canopy forests referred to as capões produce shade and amenable temperatures with tall trees.’
… In these virgin forests wandered great herds of deer along with bands of monkeys, tapirs, capybara, wild pigs, turtles, otters, and birds like macaws, toucans, parrots, and curassows. The narratives highlight the dangerous pumas, black and brown, and serpents like the anaconda, surucucu, and rattlesnake…
The bucolic landscapes described by Pohl and Saint-Hilaire had already begun to disappear in the last decades of the 19th century due to the increase in cattle herding in the region. This outbreak [of cattle] is commonly known as the ‘Bahian colonization’ and was strongest between 1890 and 1930… the forests of the plains of the Valley of Jequitinhonha began to be cut down and burned to clear land for fazendas and small sítios of subsistence cultures…
Leopoldo Pereira dramatically describes the situation faced by the rivers: ‘…in 40 years, and more markedly, [in the last] 20 years [1905], the waters of the North of Minas have diminished by more than half. The old residents of this municipality are convinced that even the large, navigable rivers, the Jequitinhonha and Araçuaí, aren’t as voluminous as in the past…the farmer’s ax and the fire of burnings are sterilizing the North of Minas.‘
…Given the continuous rise of deforestation throughout the Valley of Jequitinhona, river flows have become ever weaker, eventually rendering navigation unviable along many stretches. The old Valley, rich in biodiversity, was transformed into one of the poorest regions of Brazil.”
From O Sofrido e Pouco Lembrado Rio Jequitinhonha
written by Fernando José de Sousa, my translation
November 27, 2020
Engraving depicting enslaved people
washing for diamonds on the “Jigitonhonha”
J.G. Warnicke for John Mawe’s Travels in the Interior of Brazil
published 1812
How the mining industry tells its history
and explains present controversy
Português (original):
“A história do Brasil está ligada à história das atividades de extrativismo desde o descobrimento em 1500… A mineração foi uma das grandes responsáveis pela ocupação territorial e um dos setores básicos da economia nacional…
Por anos a fio, um conjunto de mineradores históricos… investiu recursos financeiros, humanos e intangíveis para desbravar o Brasil e abrir caminho para um dos mais pujantes setores produtivos do país, capaz de prestar contribuição efetiva para a melhoria dos indicadores socioeconômicos da nação.
Ainda persiste no Brasil uma certa incompreensão por segmentos da sociedade sobre o papel relevante da mineração nos destinos dessa mesma sociedade. Os motivos são variados, porém, identificáveis, e convergem para aspectos como desinformação… sobre suas contribuições positivas para o conforto da vida moderna, para a economia…
O fato é que sem a disponibilidade de minérios, qualquer país tende à estagnação e a vida se torna automaticamente muito mais cara e difícil a seus habitantes…”
English (my translation):
“The history of Brazil has been linked to… extractive activities since its discovery in 1500. Mining was responsible for the occupation of territory and became a fundamental part of the national economy…
For years, a group of historic miners… invested financial and human resources to tame Brazil, clearing the way for one of the most productive and thriving industries in the nation, one that’s capable of contributing to the betterment of our nation’s socioeconomic indicators.
A certain incomprehension persists in some segments of society about the role mining plays in the destiny of that same society. The motives [for this incomprehension] are varied but identifiable, and they converge on aspects like disinformation… about [mining’s] positive contributions to the comfort of modern life, to the economy…
The fact is that without ores, any country tends toward stagnation and life for its inhabitants becomes, automatically, more expensive and difficult…”
Excerpt from O Portal da Mineração
built by IBRAM — a Brazilian nonprofit that
“defends the interests of the mining sector”
My translation
NEED INFORMATION ON MINING ACTIVITY HERE, DIAMANTINA
The risks of lithium mining in the Jequitinhonha Valley
“The Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) argued [in favor of a plan] aimed to boost Brazil’s lithium market to attract investments… [creating] 7,000 direct jobs in extraction and over 84,000 direct and indirect positions in production chains…In this context, the elaboration of the National Mining Plan 2050 began… Indigenous Peoples are included in the study Sustainable Development in the Brazilian Mineral Industry, a report prepared by a mining engineer who was appointed as Executive Director of Sustainability at Sigma Lithium… in the Jequitinhonha Valley.
…Despite international interest, the study…does not hide the fact that there are serious risks in lithium extraction and processing. It highlights recurrent environmental damage…from open-pit mining process… consequences on human societies and health [including]: 1) intervention in the natural landscape and impact on the collective memory of the population, 2) Interference in ecosystems, either through habitat destruction or through mineral extraction, treatment, transport…3)…4)…5)…6)…7)…
…the study does not address energy consumption, CO2 emissions, gas treatment technologies, automation, water use, or waste generation in Brazil’s lithium production chain, citing a lack of reliable data…
…very few people question just which regions will be sacrificed to extract and industrialize the minerals needed for the transition of the global capitalist energy matrix. Even fewer still… ask which local communities, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, will be destroyed to produce the paraphernalia that characterizes modern life.”
Excerpt from article Is the extraction of lithium in the Jequitinhonha River Valley worth so much sacrifice?
by Ricardo Verdum, published by IWGIA
June 23, 2024
TEMPORARY, PROBABLY WILL DELETE
“Lithium: How sustainable is ‘white gold?’” “The global energy transition is set to require a staggering increase in the lithium supply. An essential element in EV batteries, demand could increase as much as 42 times over two decades according to [IEA] projections…”
“The region that would benefit most is the Jequitinhonha River Valley in northeastern Minas Gerais, home to the country’s largest known lithium reserve and accounting for about 8% of the world’s potential.”
Excerpt, archeobotany of highlands of Minas Gerais
Warren Dean, With Broadax and Firebrand
1995
ROMEU ZEMA BELOW
International investment, dreams of development, the United States
“Jequitinhonha Valley has a long history of hunger, earning it the unfortunate nickname of ‘the Valley of Misery.’ Recently, however, the region has received a new name in political speeches and corporate communiques around the world: ‘Lithium Valley.’
…In May, Minas Gerais governor Romeu Zema and Brazilian federal officials traveled to Nasdaq in New York to launch the ‘Lithium Valley’ project, looking for international investors for the lithium mining companies operating in the region.”
Excerpt from Global Race for Lithium Lands in Rural Brazil
Sam Klein-Markman, Published on nacla.org
August 2, 2023
Romeu Zema and NOVA, privatization
Português (original):
“Zema foi uma das grandes surpresas desta eleição… Quase 7 milhões de mineiros depositaram nas urnas a confiança em seu projeto liberal… Entre as bandeiras do Novo estão… privatização de tudo o que não seja essencial para o governo…”
English (my translation):
“Romeu Zema was one of the big surprises this election cycle… Almost 7 million Mineiros placed their confidence in his liberal project in the ballot box… Among the standards of the Novo state are… the privatization of everything not essential to government function…”
Excerpt of Mineiros of 2018: Romeu Zema
by Alessandro Duarte, published in Revista Encontro
My translation
Romeu Zema reelected in the first round with 56.18% of the vote
published online, here’s the link: Band
October 2, 2022
Fears of extraction without development
“…Zema, who launched the programme in New York in a move to attract foreign investors, said he hopes the region “will become a ‘technology valley’ for the production of batteries and other value-added products.”
But while these plans by the federal government and Minas Gerais state are still being established, communities must deal with the local impacts, and exploration continues without a solid strategy, says Oliveira. “The fear is that we restrict ourselves to the extraction process without advancing development and end up reinforcing inequalities and social impacts, while profits and benefits go to the developers,” she notes.”
Excerpt from article ‘Lithium valley’: Brazil’s latest mining hotspot stirs local concerns
by André Duchiade, published by Dialogue Earth
July 5, 2024
Minas Gerais battery Gigafactory
…Meanwhile, the Bravo Motor Company (ArqBravo Group) announced its installation of a “gigafactory” for electric vehicles and battery packs. There are also rumors of possible investment interest from entrepreneur Elon Musk. These announcements demonstrate a growing interest in transferring industrial plants… from centralized capitalisms to peripheral regions where lithium is extracted. Thus, industrial complexes are being created in nearby regions with better logistical conditions and incentives…”
Excerpt from article Is the extraction of lithium in the Jequitinhonha River Valley worth so much sacrifice?
by Ricardo Verdum, published by IWGIA
June 23, 2024
Size of investment, Bravo Motor Company
Português (original):
“…Romeu Zema, assinou um protocolo de intenções com a empresa Bravo Motor Company para implantação de uma fábrica de veículos elétricos e pacotes de baterias na Grande Belo Horizonte. O projeto… tem investimento estimado de R$ 25 bilhões.
…a empresa projeta criar mais de 13 mil empregos diretos e indiretos. A estimativa para o início das obras para a fábrica é junho de 2021 com início das operações em 2023…”
English (my translation):
“…Romeu Zema signed a contract of intent with the Bravo Motor Company to build an electric vehicle and battery pack factory in greater Belo Horizonte. The project… [is associated with] an estimated investment of R$ 25 billion [around US$5 billion].
…the company projects the creation of more than 13,000, direct and indirect, jobs. The factory works are estimated to begin in June of 2021 with operations starting in 2023…”
Excerpt from article published by UOL
by José Antonio Leme, my translation
March 9, 2021
Romeu Zema on “renewable combustibles”
English transcription:
…We’re here to unite, and not divide. These seven states have the biggest interest in the country’s advancement because we know that we are in a world—in a time—of energy transition, and today Brazil can show the world that we [already] have an alternative to the electric car. Our ethanol cars, often forgotten, are equally sustainable as electric [cars], or even better.
Often, what we see are electric cars plugged in, being charged, and what’s generating the electricity is a highly polluting thermoelectric power plant. So, we need to show that Brazil already has a considerable fleet of cars powered by renewable combustibles. Therefore, one of the themes that we’re sure to consider here [at this conference] is to show that Brazil has solutions that are rarely considered or placed on the scale…
Clip sourced from article Governador de MG diz que carros elétricos podem aumentar desemprego
by Paulo Amaral
October 10, 2023
Romeu Zema scares off Bravo Motor Company
Português (original):
“Projeto cancelado em Minas Gerais
As divergências políticas e econômicas com o governo de Minas Gerais, especialmente após as declarações do governador Romeu Zema sobre os carros elétricos, levaram a Bravo Motor a mudar a localização de seu megaprojeto. A empresa, que havia assinado um protocolo de intenções com o estado em 2021, optou por buscar um local com um ambiente de negócios mais favorável.”
English (my translation):
“Project cancelled in Minas Gerais
The political and economic divergences with the government of Minas Geras, especially after Romeu Zema’s declarations about electric cars, have led Bravo Motor to change the location of its megaproject. The company, having signed a contract of intent with the state [Minas Gerais] in 2021, opted to look for a place with a more favorable business environment.”
Excerpt from EV industry news site InsideEVs
by Julio Cesar, my translation
September 24, 2024
Zema’s business interests
Romeu Zema is currently a member of the Board of the Zema Group, which is made up of companies operating in five branches: home appliance and furniture retail, fuel distribution, car dealerships, financial services and auto parts.
Excerpt from short biography on Zema
published by The Net-Zero Circle
Seven pots of gold
Once in a village there lived a Drunkard and an Opium-eater… outcasts of society, they became fast friends. Having no house of their own, they spent their time in the various rest-houses of the village. But they avoided one particular rest-house, namely the one at the cemetery, for all believed that it was the meeting place of the ghosts of the village every night. One evening, however…
About midnight two or three ghosts came in but, before they could suspect that he was a human being, the Drunkard calmly said, ‘Hello, fellows, you are late today, or am I early?’… One of the ghosts then looked round and said, ‘I smell human flesh. I suspect the presence of a stranger.’ ‘Why not count us,’ suggested another ghost. The Drunkard at once stood up and shouted, ‘One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. All correct. All correct.’
The ghosts believed him and settled down to talk about various matters. ‘Do you know, gentlemen,’ one talkative ghost said, ‘thatunderneath where I am sitting, there lie buried seven pots of gold?’ The Drunkard carefully noted where the speaker was sitting.
The talk went on until dawn, when the ghosts went away. The Drunkard dug up the seven pots of gold and became very rich. He bought a house, and lived in luxury with his friend the Opium-eater…
Excerpt from a Burmese folk tale
Lightly edited for conciseness.