O manganês do Amapá: o seu papel no desenvolvimento regional e nacional do Brasil (1957-1998)

The text discusses the developmental role of manganese ore mined at Serra do Navio (Amapá, Brazil) in 1957-1998. Serra do Navio was one of the world’s largest manganese mines while Brazil became a major producer of steel. Manganese is required in the production of steel, but findings indicate that the two phenomena were independent from each other. Brazil’s large steel plants consumed mostly manganese from other Brazilian states, while Amapá’s ore was mostly exported, without becoming scarce in Brazil. Furthermore, the lack of a major steel plant in Amapá determined a limited role for manganese in local development.