Cana Brava mine, Uruaçu, Goiás

The Cana Brava mine was an open-pit chrysotile mine in the State of Goiás, Brazil, which Asbestos, the industry's trade journal, placed in Uruaçu County, and which the U.S. Bureau of Mines put "160 miles northwest of Brasilia."^4,10 In 1970 the trade journal reported that Sociedade Anonima Mineracao de Amianto (SAMA), "one of the major asbestos fiber producers in Brazil, transferred its development and production activities out of Bahia and into Cana Brava at Uruacu, Goias."⁶ A 1976 article in Asbestos says that "operations began in 1967 with an output of 1000 metric tons of fiber," while in May 1971 the journal, crediting the Brazilian Bulletin, reported that the company "has opened its asbestos mine at Cana Brava."^5,7

Owners

In 1971 Asbestos wrote that the mining company "is controlled by Tubos Brasilit S.A."¹ In 1975 it said SAMA "is controlled by S.A. Tubos Brasilet which, in turn, is owned by Saint-Gobain-Pont-A-Mousson and Eternit," and in 1976, drawing on the U.S. Department of State, that SAMA was "jointly owned by asbestos-cement manufacturers S.A. Tubos Brasilit and Industrias Eternit S.A."^2,3 The U.S. Bureau of Mines' Minerals Yearbook for 1989 reported that the Swiss Eternit Group "planned to divest itself" of its holdings in SAMA, which it called "a chrysotile operation in Brazil."¹² Later yearbooks, written by the U.S. Geological Survey, speak of Eternit S.A. and "its chrysotile mine" without naming Cana Brava.¹³

Output

The sources give early output, expected and actual, in different figures: in 1971 Asbestos reported that the company expected "about 17,000 tons of fiber per year," and the Minerals Yearbook reported that its production "may reach 30,000 short tons per year by 1972"; in December 1972 Asbestos wrote that SAMA "expects to have an output of about 27,000 tons in 1972."^1,8,9 For 1973 the trade journal gave "45,000 metric tons" in December 1975 and "43,000 tons" a year later; for 1974 it gave "60,344 tons" and later "60,000 tons," and for 1975 "72,000 tons."^2,5,10 Asbestos reported that "annual production reached 95,000 metric tons valued at US$29,826,000 in 1976."¹⁴ The yearbook for 1976 gave a "projected 1979 production of 115,000 tons, all for domestic consumption," and the 1984 yearbook said that in 1983 SAMA "produced 150,000 tons of asbestos fiber and exported 14,000 tons."^4,15 In 1988 the yearbook reported plans "to begin operation of a 250,000-ton-capacity mill at the Cana Brava Mine."¹¹

The rock and the reserves

Asbestos gave reserves in 1975 as "3-million tons," and in 1976 as "50-million tons of rock containing some 7% fiber (3.5-million tons of fiber)."^2,5 The 1984 yearbook said SAMA "holds about 96% of Brazil's asbestos reserves at Minacu, Goiás," and the 1988 yearbook that "the ore contains 7% to 8% chrysotile asbestos" and that the company "produces asbestos grades 4 to 6."^11,15

The people and the market

In 1976, according to the Minerals Yearbook, "there were 900 employees at the site."⁴ The same year Asbestos, drawing on the U.S. Department of State, reported that SAMA had invested "some $15-million in its modern facilities at Cana Brava," that most of its mining equipment came from the United States and "nearly all of the mill equipment came from Italy," and that "all of the production is for domestic consumption by over 50 industrial firms."³

The end of production

The Geological Survey reported that in 2010 Eternit's "chrysotile mine operated at full capacity," and in 2018 called Eternit "the sole asbestos producer in the country."^13,16 Its 2019 report says that "a judicial injunction allowed the company to continue operating its mine in the State of Goias until February 2019, when production ceased."¹⁷ In July 2019 the State of Goiás "passed a law that authorized the extraction and processing of asbestos in the State for export purposes," but by the year's end, the Survey said, "Eternit had not restarted operations."¹⁷

The documents report this mine producing asbestos fiber for sale.¹⁴

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Location

Output the documents report

Figures as printed, in the units each document uses (short tons before about 1990, metric tons after, in most U.S. chapters). Some are a year's output, some a daily rate or a capacity, some a company's total rather than this mine's alone; the statement for that year below says which.

Year	Figure	Source
1971	17,000 tons of fiber per year (expected)	1
1972	30,000 short tons per year	8
1972	27,000 tons (expected)	9
1974	60,344 tons	10
1974	60,344 metric tons	2
1975	72,000 tons	5
1976	95,000 metric tons	14
1979	115,000 tons	4
1983	150,000 tons of asbestos fiber	15
2010	306,000 t	13

Year by year

Every statement about this mine in the documents, in each document's own words, by the year it is about.

1967

• Opened: “Operations began in 1967 with an output of 1000 metric tons of fiber” (S.A. Mineracao de Amianto), p. 42⁵

1970

• Opened: “transferred its development and production activities out of Bahia and into Cana Brava at Uruacu, Goias” (Sociedade Anonima Mineracao de Amianto), p. 16⁶

1971

• Opened: “has opened its asbestos mine at Cana Brava, near Uruacu” (Mineracao de Amianto S.A.), as reported by Brazilian Bulletin, p. 39⁷
• Ownership: “Mineracao is controlled by Tubos Brasilit S.A.” (Mineracao de Amianto S.A.; Tubos Brasilit S.A.), p. 6¹
• Output: “expects a production rate of about 17,000 tons of fiber per year from its newly-opened asbestos mine at Cana Brava” (Mineracao de Amianto S.A.), p. 6¹
• Output: “Mineração de Amianto S.A. was increasing production at its Cana Brava deposit, Uruaçu, Goiás” (Mineração de Amianto S.A.), p. 8⁸

1972

• Output: “production may reach 30,000 short tons per year by 1972” (Mineração de Amianto S.A.), p. 8⁸
• Output: “SAMA expects to have an output of about 27,000 tons in 1972” (S.A. Mineracao de Amianto (SAMA)), p. 16⁹

1974

• Output: “Production in 1974 was reported as 60,344 tons and research is being done to increase annual capacity to 110,000 tons of fiber by 1976” (Sociedade Anonima Mineracao de Amianto (SAMA)), as reported by Departamento Nacional da Producao Mineral, Brazil, p. 32¹⁰
• Output: “Production at the Cana Brava mine was 45,000 metric tons in 1973 and 60,344 tons in 1974” (S.A. Mineracao de Amianto), p. 46²

1975

• Ownership: “owned by S.A. Mineracao de Amianto. SAMA is controlled by S.A. Tubos Brasilet which, in turn, is owned by Saint-Gobain-Pont-A-Mousson and Eternit” (S.A. Mineracao de Amianto), p. 45²
• Reserves: “Reserves are calculated at 3-million tons” (S.A. Mineracao de Amianto), p. 46²
• Output: “Operations began in 1967 with an output of 1000 metric tons of fiber; 43,000 tons in 1973, 60,000 tons in 1974 and 72,000 tons in 1975” (S.A. Mineracao de Amianto), p. 42⁵

1976

• Workforce: “To date SAMA has invested some $15-million in its modern facilities at Cana Brava. It currently has 900 employees” (S.A. Mineracao de Amianto (SAMA)), as reported by U.S. Department of State, p. 32³
• Ownership: “operated by S.A. Mineracao de Amianto (SAMA) which, in turn, is jointly owned by asbestos-cement manufacturers S.A. Tubos Brasilit and Industrias Eternit S.A.” (S.A. Mineracao de Amianto (SAMA)), as reported by U.S. Department of State, p. 32³
• Buyers: “All of the production is for domestic consumption by over 50 industrial firms” (S.A. Mineracao de Amianto (SAMA)), as reported by U.S. Department of State, p. 32³
• Reserves: “Reserves are estimated at 50-million tons of rock containing some 7% fiber (3.5-million tons of fiber)” (S.A. Mineracao de Amianto), p. 42⁵
• Reserves: “Reserves were estimated at 3.5 million tons of fiber”, p. 8⁴
• Worked: “The chrysotile mine at Cana Brava operated by S.A. Mineração de Amianto (SAMA)” (S.A. Mineração de Amianto (SAMA)), p. 8⁴
• Workforce: “900 employees at the site”, p. 8⁴
• Output: “Annual production reached 95,000 metric tons valued at US$29,826,000 in 1976” (S.A. Mineracao de Amianto), p. 39¹⁴

1979

• Output: “projected 1979 production of 115,000 tons, all for domestic consumption” (S.A. Mineração de Amianto (SAMA)), p. 8⁴

1980

• Mill: “Annual planned capacity, all for domestic use, is 140,000 tonnes per year, with 125,000 tonnes to have been reached by 1980” (S. A. Mineracao de Amiante), p. 36¹⁸

1983

• Output: “In 1983, SAMA produced 150,000 tons of asbestos fiber and exported 14,000 tons” (S.A. Mineração de Amianto (SAMA)), p. 6¹⁵

1984

• Reserves: “S.A. Mineração de Amianto (SAMA) holds about 96% of Brazil's asbestos reserves at Minacu, Goiás” (S.A. Mineração de Amianto (SAMA)), p. 6¹⁵
• Reserves: “Measured, indicated, and inferred reserves total 5 million tons, with an average ore grade of 6.76%” (S.A. Mineração de Amianto (SAMA)), p. 6¹⁵

1988

• Mill: “plans to begin operation of a 250,000-ton-capacity mill at the Cana Brava Mine” (SA Mineracao de Amianto), as reported by Asbestos (journal), p. 5¹¹
• Reserves: “The ore contains 7% to 8% chrysotile asbestos” (SA Mineracao de Amianto), as reported by Asbestos (journal), p. 5¹¹
• Description: “produces asbestos grades 4 to 6” (SA Mineracao de Amianto), as reported by Asbestos (journal), p. 5¹¹
• Fiber: “chrysotile asbestos” (SA Mineracao de Amianto), as reported by Asbestos (journal), p. 5¹¹

1989

• Ownership: “planned to divest ... its holdings in SA Mineracao de Amianto (SAMA)” (Swiss Eternit Group), as reported by Industrial Minerals, p. 5¹²

2010

• Output: “chrysotile sales, including some sales from stocks, were 306,000 t” (Eternit S.A.), as reported by Eternit S.A. press release (Eternit S.A., 2011), p. 2¹³
• Worked: “its chrysotile mine operated at full capacity” (Eternit S.A.), as reported by Eternit S.A. press release (Eternit S.A., 2011), p. 2¹³

2018

• Worked: “Eternit S.A., the sole asbestos producer in the country, continued to operate in 2018” (Eternit S.A.), as reported by Eternit S.A., 2018, 2019, p. 3¹⁶

2019

• Idle: “Eternit had not restarted operations” (Eternit S.A.), as reported by Eternit S.A., 2018, 2019, 2020; Migalhas, 2019, p. 3¹⁷
• Idle: “February 2019, when production ceased” (Eternit S.A.), as reported by Eternit S.A., 2018, 2019, 2020; Migalhas, 2019, p. 3¹⁷
• Description: “Eternit petitioned the STF to allow asbestos ore stockpiles to be processed for sale to foreign markets” (Eternit S.A.), as reported by Eternit S.A., 2018, 2019, 2020; Migalhas, 2019, p. 3¹⁷
• Description: “the State of Goias passed a law that authorized the extraction and processing of asbestos in the State for export purposes”, as reported by Eternit S.A., 2018, 2019, 2020; Migalhas, 2019, p. 3¹⁷

2020

• Worked: “A judicial injunction allowed the company to continue operating its mine in the State of Goias until February 2019” (Eternit S.A.), as reported by Eternit S.A., 2018, 2019, 2020; Migalhas, 2019, p. 3¹⁷

In medical studies

Medical studies in our research library that name this mine, by how they concern it. A search found every one that names the mine and an AI reader sorted them; the quotation, checked word for word against the text, shows where. Those that name the mine only in passing or in a reference list are left out.

Studies of the mine’s workers (2)

• Bagatin E 2005: Non-malignant consequences of decreasing asbestos exposure in the Brazil chrysotile mines and mills: “Subjects who started working in the Canabrava mine before 1977 were included in group II, irrespective whether they remained working in the mine after this time.”
• Terra-Filho M 2015: Screening of miners and millers at decreasing levels of asbestos exposure: comparison of chest radiography and thin-section computed tomography: “Exposed from 1967 to 1976 in the Canabrava mine (State of Goiás, Central Region) where despite no evidence of amphyboles contamination”

Studies of the mine’s fiber (6)

• Bernstein DM 2004: The biopersistence of brazilian chrysotile asbestos following inhalation: “In the present study, the dynamics and rate of clearance of chrysotile from the Cana Brava mine in central Brazil was evaluated”
• Bernstein DM 2006: The toxicological response of Brazilian chrysotile asbestos: a multidose subchronic 90-day inhalation toxicology study with 92-day recovery to assess cellular and pathological response: “The chrysotile fibers used in this study were obtained from the Cana Brava Mine, located in Minasu in the state of Goias in Brazil.”
• Borges R 2018: Mechanochemical conversion of chrysotile/K2HPO4 mixtures into potential sustainable and environmentally friendly slow-release fertilizers: “was donated by SAMA S/A e Mineraç~oes Associadas (Minaçu - GO, Brazil).”
• Cortez BA 2008: Chrysotile effects on human lung cell carcinoma in culture: 3-D reconstruction and DNA quantification by image analysis: “Chrysotile 5R (Quebec Standard) obtained from SAMA Mineração de Amianto Ltda (Minaçu, GO, Brazil) were kindly provided by Dr. Flavia M. Cassiola.”
• Cortez BA 2016: Multipolar mitosis and aneuploidy after chrysotile treatment: a consequence of abscission failure and cytokinesis regression: “Chrysotile 5R (Quebec Standard) obtained from SAMA Mineração de Amianto Ltda (Minaçu, GO, Brazil) were provided by Dr. Flavia M. Cassiola.”
• Valentim IB 2008: Influence of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine on the dissolution of Brazilian chrysotile: “Brazilian chrysotile type 5RL from Cana Brava mine was supplied by SAMA Minerac¸ ão de Amianto Ltda”

Other names

Documents call this mine “Cana Brava deposit”, “Cana Brava”, “chrysotile mine at Cana Brava”, “Cana Brava Mine”, “SA Mineracao de Amianto (SAMA)”, “Eternit S.A.'s chrysotile mine”, “its mine in the State of Goias”.

See also

• Cana Brava Mine in the Lexicon
• All asbestos mines

References

1. Asbestos Magazine, 1971, December 1971 (December 1, 1971), p. 6.
2. Asbestos Magazine, 1975, December 1975 (December 1, 1975), pp. 45–46.
3. Asbestos Magazine, 1976, August 1976 (August 1, 1976), p. 32.
4. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1976 (January 1, 1977), p. 8.
5. Asbestos Magazine, 1976, December 1976 (December 1, 1976), p. 42.
6. Asbestos Magazine, 1970, December 1970 (December 1, 1970), p. 16.
7. Asbestos Magazine, 1971, May 1971 (May 1, 1971), p. 39.
8. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1971 (January 1, 1972), p. 8.
9. Asbestos Magazine, 1972, December 1972 (December 1, 1972), p. 16.
10. Asbestos Magazine, 1975, July 1975 (July 1, 1975), p. 32.
11. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1988 (January 1, 1989), p. 5.
12. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1989 (January 1, 1990), p. 5.
13. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 2010 (January 1, 2011), p. 2.
14. Asbestos Magazine, 1977, December 1977 (December 1, 1977), p. 39.
15. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1984 (January 1, 1985), p. 6.
16. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 2018 (January 1, 2019), p. 3.
17. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 2019 (January 1, 2020), p. 3.
18. Asbestos Magazine, 1981, January 1981 (January 1, 1981), p. 36.