Brazil Alumina

Who we are
Our purpose is to make a difference by developing natural resources, improving people's lives now and for generations to come. We are trusted by our owners and partners to realise the potential of their resources.
Our business
- Australia
- Southern Africa
- South America
  - Brazil Alumina
  - Cerro Matoso
- Exploration & projects
- Marketing
- Our commodities
South32 is a globally diversified mining and metals company producing bauxite, alumina, aluminium, energy and metallurgical coal, manganese, nickel, silver, lead and zinc in Australia, Southern Africa and South America.
Community & society
We’re a business with a purpose and believe trust and transparency are essential to the way we operate. That means being in touch with the broader community – considering different perspectives and working together to create shared value.
Environment
We work hard to be responsible stewards of the environment and treat natural resources with care so that they are available for future generations. Successful environmental management is essential to our business.
People & careers
Our people are the foundation of our success and the key to our sustainability and productivity. Together, we create an inclusive workplace where we hold ourselves and each other to account to demonstrate our values.
Investors & media
- Investor centre
- Media centre
Keep up to date with our latest news and announcements.

Location

Our Brazil Alumina operations are made up of a share in the country’s largest bauxite mine, a refinery and a smelter.

For nearly 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 our Alumar refinery and smelter in Sao Luis, northeastern Brazil, which has been operating since the mid-eighties.

Above and below ground

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 14.8 percent interest in the MRN mine, a 36 percent share of the Alumar alumina refinery and a 40 percent stake in the aluminium smelter.

MRN’s open-cut strip mine produces 18 million tonnes (Mtpa) of bauxite a year, supplying the Alumar refinery (capacity of 3.5 Mtpa) and smelter (440 kilo tonnes a year).

Bauxite

Playing our part

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.

Aluminium_Hillside_South_Africa_2015_Low_675

Protecting Klipspruit Wetlands

The conservation of wetlands is an important part of our South African mining projects.

Reducing emissions

We are using innovative ways to minimise our greenhouses gases at our Illawarra operations.

Using less energy

At Cerro Matoso, a series of projects has helped us save energy and our reduce emissions.

Contact

Get in touch with Brazil Alumina

Christian Costa,

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
Av. Eng. Emiliano Macieira
3507 Anjo da Guarda
São Luís MA, 65095-603
Brazil
+55 21 3094-3350