At the Brazil Alumina operation, we are involved in bauxite mining and alumina refining.
Our Brazil Alumina operations are made up of a share in the country’s largest bauxite mine, as well as an alumina refinery.
For more than 40 years bauxite mining has been underway at the Mineracao Rio do Norte (MRN) mine, in Porto Trombetas, in northern Brazil.
Bauxite is the raw material for aluminum and our share of the ore produced at the MRN mine is supplied to the alumina refinery in Sao Luis, northeastern Brazil, which has been operating since the mid-eighties.
As one of the world’s largest producers of aluminium, we are involved in each stage of production, including bauxite mining, refining bauxite into alumina and smelting alumina into aluminium metal.
We have a 33 per cent interest in the MRN mine and a 36 per cent share of the Alumar alumina refinery.
MRN’s open-cut strip mine produces 18 million tonnes (Mtpa) of bauxite a year, supplying the Alumar refinery (capacity of 3.5 Mtpa). The alumina produced from the refinery is exported through the Alumar port and supplied to the co-located Alumar aluminium smelter.
The Brazilian communities we work with have rich histories, which we are helping preserve through investments in the arts, films, music and publishing.
Our people are involved in many social and environmental projects, including the breast milk bank at the local maternity hospital, tree planting, local education and training.
The conservation of wetlands is an important part of our South African mining projects.
Read moreWe are using innovative ways to minimise our greenhouses gases at our Illawarra operations.
Read moreAt Cerro Matoso, a series of projects has helped us save energy and our reduce emissions.
Read moreGet in touch with Brazil Alumina
Christian has more than 21 years of experience working with BHP and South32, with roles across finance, commercial and business development in Brazil, Holland, the United States of America, Australia and Colombia. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and a Master of Business Administration from Duke University in the United States.
Brazil Alumar