The areas flooded included Hydro’s Alunorte alumina refinery, which refines bauxite into alumina which is then used to produce aluminium.

Following the rainfall, communities around the alumina refinery were concerned that flooding could have resulted in overflows or leaks from Alunorte’s bauxite residue deposits into surrounding areas.

Brazilian authorities instituted various embargoes over the several months to come, which affected both the Alunorte alumina refinery and our bauxite mine in Paragominas, which supplies bauxite to Alunorte via a 244-kilometer-long pipeline.

Several investigations and inspections were conducted that confirm there were no leaks or overflow from Alunorte’s bauxite residue deposits. Through dialogue with all relevant authorities at the local, regional and national level in Brazil, the last embargoes on Alunorte were lifted on September 26, 2019.