Parliamentary Group

Assembly of the Republic-Palace of S. Bento-1249-068 Lisbon-Telephone: 21391 9233-Fax: 21391 7456 Email: gpcds@pp. parliamento.p-loc- http://cds.parlamento.pt

DRAFT RESOLUTION NO. 282 /XI/2.

Proceed to the assessment of the criteria to which you must obey the granting of the caulino farm

in Vila Seca and Milhazes, and in case disconformity proceed to its revocation

The CDS-PP Parliamentary Group has understood to develop this initiative, taking the basis of the

fundamentals and contentious contours that support the petition No. 583 /X/4ª on the " Withdrawal of the

allotment of the grant of the holding of kaolin in Vila Seca and Milhazes, municipality of Barcelos ",

as well as the results of the auscultation of the respective petitioners, entities and parties

interested deemed relevant for the evaluation of this process, transferred in the meantime to the

XI Legislature, and which culminated in a final report produced by the Committee on Environment,

Spatial Planning and Local Power.

The kaolin is an ore composed of hydrated aluminum silicates, such as kaolinite and haloisite-

a type of clay, which derives in general from the base rocks of the crystalline and eruptive type as the feldspates,

granites and basalts, and which features special features that allow its use in the

papermaking, ceramics and paints and that by that effect, has a great commercial interest.

The company dealership of caulinos, MIBAL, has been involved, for several decades, and neither

always in a peaceful manner, in the exploration of this ore, in the Freguesia of Barkers having in the meantime

obtained the grant of the exploitation of the area of the Gandra, in the freguesias of Vila Seca and Milhazes, in the

concelain de Barcelos, in a process where many uncertainties are raised as to the legality of their

concession, of which a few examples are highlighted:

-Subject matter and real interest of the concession, if in the kaolin (in percentages that is unaware of its

true extent, but which are suspected to be diminished), if in the exploitation of sands (which

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will represent the largest percentage of the mine) and that it is not a good of the public domain

concessionable;

-Absence of Environmental Impact Assessment procedure on the 42 ha of the concession;

-Discharge of fulfillment of the landscape recovery with repose of the sands;

-Lack of misallocation of the RAN and REN space;

-Relevant impacts on environmental descriptors, such as are the dense hydrographic network, convergent in

riverside of Milhazes, complemented by numerous springs; in the rather productive local aquifer,

with a very high freathic surface, what it favours, wants its use for the activities

traditional economic through little deep wells (cheesy, use by cattle, etc.), wants the

ecological functions; improved soils along ancestral agricultural practices of fertilization and rega;

in the relevant archaeological heritage.

Mindful of the content of the petition and the transversality of the topic in question, it understood the 12ª Commission to request

additional information to the various Ministries and public entities with jurisdiction and guardian in this

matter, previous and current corporate executives of the Municipality of Barcelos, as well as the company

mineira Mibal-Minas de Barqueiros, SA, which holds the concession of exploitation of the kaolin.

There was still a scrutiny of the problem at the site, with a visit to the Vila Seca freguesies and

Milhazes to watch in loco the reality of the holdings of caulins.

This scenario of uncertainty that involves this process, with relevant environmental and partner implications-

economic in the area of allocation of the concession of the kaolin, concretely in the freguesias of Vila

Drought and Milhazes, associated with the morosity in meeting a platform of consensus, and not

notwithstanding the developed initiatives and information provided by the various ministries and entities

involved, has sparked an unnecessary social tension between, a population and its

representatives of local power, who want to see acautelate their rights to a sadia life and

ecologically balanced, and on the other the chaulino dealmaking company, MIBAL, which invokes the

your business and business interests.

Supported in the opinions of a specialized technician, Manuel Abrunhosa, in the fields of geology

mining, hydrology and hydrogeology, this states that " The exploitation of mineral resources is essential

for the economy and development of nations and will have to be also for that of the regions where if

inserts. It corresponds to the valorisation of endogenous resources that nothing we have done to create, but that

we must do everything to, or preserve for, the coming generations as a capital to accumulate interest,

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or exploit with the maximum profitability of the community and the companies involved, in the respect of the

techniques and environmental legislation. And also in respect for the options of the populations that may

be, in some way, interested or affected. Mining may not contribute to the

heavy environmental liabilities it has created in other times, nor to be a focus of social conflagration ".

Thus and notwithstanding the legitimate interests of the two parties, the management of this process shall be desired

ensure conditions conducive to the safeguarding of social peace in Vila Seca and Milhazes.

The CDS/PP Parliamentary Group under the applicable constitutional and regimental provisions

recommends to the Government:

-Which, having on the basis of the information collected from the various parties involved, with tutelage or

interest in the process, from the granting of the exploration of kaolin in Vila Seca and Milhazes

(municipality of Barcelos), be definitively ascertained, the legality and criteria to which it must

obey this concession;

-Which in the event of a negative assessment, proceed to the immediate revocation of the assignment of the

concession of the exploration of kaolin in Vila Seca and Milhazes, municipality of Barcelos.

Assembly of the Republic, October 8, 2010.

The Deputies