Análise dos impactos ambientais da ruptura da barragem de mineração em Brumadinho, MG, Brasil: Uma abordagem baseada em dados geoespaciais

Abstract

In 2019, the collapse of Vale S.A.'s tailings dam in Brumadinho (MG) was one of the most tragic and impactful disasters in Brazilian history. This tragedy not only cost human lives, but also left a trail of environmental destruction that resonated throughout the nation. Since then, one of the main focuses of study in the area has been assessing the environmental damage caused by this event. In this context, the use of geospatial data emerges as a crucial tool for understanding the extent and nuances of these impacts. Geospatial data provides a comprehensive and detailed view of the environment affected by the dam collapse, making it possible to identify and quantify the environmental damage to the local landscape. To this end, the use of the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform is of great value, as it has a vast collection of satellite images and data sets that allow advanced analysis to be carried out using processing scripts. This results in accurate mapping, which makes it possible to quantify and assess the extent of the damage caused to the surrounding landscape. In addition, the analysis of geospatial data by the GEE platform makes it possible to follow the spatio-temporal evolution of impacts, from immediately after the rupture to the recovery and reconstruction stages. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the spatio-temporal impacts of the mining dam collapse in Brumadinho (MG) using a geospatial approach on the GEE platform. In addition, this creation of geospatial mapping methodologies can contribute to the assessment of risks associated with mining dam ruptures in other regions of Brazil and the world, favoring the mitigation of environmental impacts.