Brazil Supreme Court suspends Belo Sun gold mine installation license

Supreme Court Justice Edson Fachin has suspended the installation license for the Volta Grande gold mining project in Pará, Brazil. The decision, issued via a provisional injunction, responds to a request by the Federal Public Ministry (MPF) to halt the project managed by the Canadian company Belo Sun Mining Corp.

The suspension follows concerns regarding the protection of indigenous rights and environmental safety. Justice Fachin noted significant deficiencies in the Indigenous Component Study (ECI), specifically regarding the identification of affected communities outside demarcated lands, potential resettlement needs, and the cumulative impacts of mining alongside the Belo Monte hydroelectric dam.

The decision also addresses failures to conduct the free, prior, and informed consultation required by the International Labour Organization's Convention 169. While a regional court (TRF-1) had previously restored the license, the Supreme Court's intervention recognizes a risk of grave injury to constitutional order and the environment.