London, April 30, 2026, 15:02 BST
Mineração Rio do Norte, with backing from Rio Tinto, secured an installation licence from IBAMA for its Novas Minas bauxite project, paving the way for work to begin at five additional mining sites in western Pará. The company, which leads Brazil in bauxite production, said this permit gives it the runway to operate through 2041.
The permit is key now because it backs a long-term supply strategy over any short-term output surge. MRN is looking at about 9 billion reais—roughly $1.80 billion—in spending planned from 2027 through 2041, with a yearly bauxite production goal set at 12.5 million metric tons. Bauxite, of course, is processed into alumina and then aluminium.
For Rio Tinto plc, the licence maintains a foothold in aluminium, albeit a minority one. MRN is tagged by Rio as a non-managed asset, running since 1979, with capacity for 18 million tonnes of bauxite annually. Ownership is divided: Rio Tinto holds 22%, South32 owns 33%, and Glencore controls 45%.
MRN is looking to secure fresh bauxite supplies starting in 2026 to maintain output and investment in western Pará. The company’s New Mines Project targets five plateaus—Rebolado, Escalante, Jamari, Barone, and Cruz Alta Leste—spanning Oriximiná, Terra Santa, and Faro. Most of the necessary infrastructure is already linked to current operations.
Timing looks favorable. Mining exchange-traded funds—baskets that trade like stocks—saw assets jump to $87.4 billion by March 31, more than double last year’s $37 billion, according to Reuters. BlackRock’s Evy Hambro described this as the “early stages of a commodity supercycle.” For Fidelity’s Taosha Wang, the supercycle focused on mining and energy “has already arrived.” Rio Tinto and BHP? Both notched fresh record highs this year. Reuters
The project’s environmental shadow isn’t fading just because the permit went through. Last year, Norway’s sovereign wealth fund opted for a sustained engagement—five to ten years—with Rio Tinto plc, Rio Tinto Ltd, and South32, after its Council on Ethics flagged their MRN exposure and actually recommended dropping them. The council estimated the planned expansion would span 100 square km, with 64 square km set for complete deforestation over the project’s life.
MRN is back above its previous record for the project. According to the company, IBAMA organized three public hearings in Faro, Terra Santa, and Oriximiná, with turnout topping 1,600. The environmental impact study came from Arcadis, described as an independent consultant.
Rio has been highlighting its commitment to community projects tied to its Australian iron ore operations this week. On April 28, the company announced a A$100 million contribution to Western Australian government housing, targeting over 500 homes for regional frontline workers. “The right housing needs to be in place” for communities in the Pilbara to run properly, said Rio Tinto Iron Ore Chief Executive Matthew Holcz. Rio Tinto
Just a day after, Rio and the Clontarf Foundation moved to extend their 18-year partnership by another five years. The programme now touches over 12,000 young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men daily, spanning 161 academies. Holcz credited Clontarf for proving “what’s possible” when young people have support. Rio Tinto
The picture is uneven, not outright weak. Last week, Rio reported a 2.4% bump in first-quarter Pilbara iron ore sales and said mined copper hit 229,000 tonnes, up from 210,000 tonnes a year ago. Still, the company flagged low visibility on how Middle East-linked supply-chain issues might play out in the back half. Baden Moore at CLSA Australia told Reuters that diesel and jet fuel shortages stand out as the main operational threat, given their impact on diesel machinery and the movement of supplies, workers and services.
With the Brazil licence now in hand, Rio, South32 and Glencore have a more secure grip on bauxite supply—just as industrial metals attract renewed investor interest. Now, the real challenge: building new mines in the Amazon, and doing it without losing the support of communities, regulators or major shareholders.
