Bloomberg reported that Alcoa Inc’s bauxite mine operations in the Amazon may be halted because of pollution charges by a Brazilian state against the largest US aluminum maker.

Para state prosecutors said that Alcoa hasn’t implemented environmental protection measures that were required when the license to the Juruti bauxite mine was granted this year.

The mine, BRR 3.9 billion investment financed by Brazil’s state development BNDES bank will produce bauxite for the Alumar alumina refinery in Brazil’s Maranhao state. The refinery is a JV between Alcoa, BHP Billiton Plc and Rio Tinto Alcan Inc.

The prosecutors said that the company must monitor and control local water and other environmental conditions after muddying the streams that provide drinking water for local inhabitants through the use of earthmoving machines and tree cutting. Para state prosecutors carried out a survey of environmental conditions in the area.

Mr Kevin Lowery an Alcoa spokesman in the US said that “Alcoa has yet to receive the filing from the ministry but once we do we’ll review and address it properly.”

(Sourced from Bloomberg)