Nickel mining in Barro Alto

Together with Niquelândia, Barro Alto is one of Goiás’s nickel towns. The ferronickel plant in the municipality is the largest economic project in its history.

Timeline

According to a public Anglo American document (preliminary mine closure plan, 2020) and Ibram:

How the operation works

• Open-pit mining of saprolitic ore, according to Anglo American.
• Ore is processed at the plant, which produces ferronickel, an alloy used mainly in stainless steel.
• Capacity: about 36,000 tonnes of nickel a year at full load. In 2024, Barro Alto and Codemin together produced 39,400 tonnes of nickel (Ibram).
• Total investment: US$1.9 billion, about US$300 million of it in environmental measures (Anglo American, 2016).
• Water: drawn from the Patos River, with a water circuit the company describes as fully closed.
• Planned life: until 2040, according to the 2020 plan.
• Jobs: more than 900 employees at the plant in 2016, plus contractors.

Location

The plant is in the countryside south-west of town, accessed via the GO-565 off the GO-080. It is not open to tourist visits.

The sale to MMG

On 18 February 2025, Anglo American announced an agreement to sell its entire Brazilian nickel business — Barro Alto, Codemin and projects in Mato Grosso and Pará — to MMG Singapore Resources for up to US$500 million. According to the press, Brazil’s competition authority CADE approved it and, in June 2026, approval from the European Commission was still pending. As of 4 October 2026 we found no confirmation of completion.

Impact on the town

• According to Anglo American, the share of the population above the poverty line rose from 62.2% (2000) to 92.9% (2010).
• Mining royalties (CFEM) paid to the municipality grew from about R$1.9 million (2010) to R$19.8 million (2022), according to a state survey using National Mining Agency data. Bauxite is also mined in the municipality by other companies.