LAVRA, ARTESANATO E MERCADO DO ESTEATITO DE SANTA RITA DE OURO PRETO, MINAS GERAIS

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2006

RESUMO

Exportation of the steatite mined in Santa Rita - a district of Ouro Preto, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil - whose destinations are countries in Europe, North America and Asia - has presented a tendency of increasing in the last five years. In order to attend the international demand for this raw material, which is popularly known as soap stone, there has been a local adaptation to the market and socio-economical changes. The economic activity has turned from an originally rural and extractive into an industrial one, yet in a disordered and illegal way. That means there was a lack of a previous environmental sustainability plan, which blocks the keep of the basic eco-development concepts. The industrial production has negatively influenced the steatite-based craftwork production, reinforced by the shortage of raw material of good quality. The result has been an unbalanced local family cultural activity, which has influenced both the final product and the regional market. This process could harm future generations in keeping the activity that guarantees the rural-urban balance through the permanence of man in the country, and by providing employment and income for major part of the local population.

ASSUNTO(S)

esteatito desenvolvimento regional, mineração. regional development mining. steatite pedra sabão, artesanato engenharias soap stone craftwork

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

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