Identification of Special Areas and Administrative Framework
The environmental framework is used to obtain technical knowledge about the environmental characteristics of a certain area of interest. With this study it is possible to identify conflicts between mining areas and special areas.
The main special areas are
1 – The marginal strips of any natural perennial and intermittent watercourse, excluding the ephemeral ones, from the edge of the gutter of the regular bed, in a minimum width of:
(a) 30 (thirty) meters, for watercourses less than 10 (ten) meters wide;
b) 50 (fifty) meters, for waterways that are 10 (ten) to 50 (fifty) meters wide;
c) 100 (one hundred) meters, for waterways that are 50 (fifty) to 200 (two hundred) meters wide;
d) 200 (two hundred) meters, for waterways that are 200 (two hundred) to 600 (six hundred) meters wide;
e) 500 (five hundred) meters, for waterways that are wider than 600 (six hundred) meters;
2 – the areas around lakes and natural lagoons, in a minimum width of
(a) 100 (one hundred) meters, in rural areas, except for the water body with up to 20 (twenty) hectares of surface area, whose marginal strip will be 50 (fifty) meters;
b) 30 (thirty) meters, in urban areas;
3 – the areas around artificial water reservoirs, resulting from the damming or impounding of natural water courses, on the strip defined in the environmental license for the undertaking;
4 – the areas around springs and perennial water sources, whatever their topographical situation, within a minimum radius of fifty (50) meters;
5 – slopes or parts thereof with a gradient greater than 45º, equivalent to 100% (one hundred percent) on the line of greatest slope;
6 – the restingas, as dune fixers or mangrove stabilizers;
7 – the mangroves, in all their extension;
8 – the edges of the tableland, up to the line of rupture of the relief, in a band never less than 100 (one hundred) meters in horizontal projections;
9 – on hilltops, hills, mountains and mountain ranges, with a minimum height of 100 (one hundred) meters and an average inclination greater than 25º, the areas delimited from the contour line corresponding to 2/3 (two thirds) of the minimum height of the elevation, always in relation to the base, this being defined by the horizontal plane determined by the plain or adjacent water mirror, or in the case of undulating reliefs, by the quota of the saddle point nearest to the elevation;
10 – the areas at an altitude above 1,800 (one thousand and eight hundred) meters, whatever the vegetation;
11 – in veredas, the marginal strip, in horizontal projection, with a minimum width of 50 (fifty) meters, starting from the permanently marshy and flooded space;
12 – Quilombola Areas
13 – Indigenous Reservations
14 – Agrarian Settlements;
15 – Areas in Borderlands;
16 – Legal Reserves;
17 – Conservation Units – UCs.
In all these areas specific rules must be respected according to their environmental and social characteristics. Thus, the recognition of these areas is extremely necessary for efficient administrative planning. In addition, many of these areas do not allow the existence of mining activities, so their identification is extremely important to mitigate unnecessary expenses.
