Mineral explotation versus Paleontology: territorial use of serra do Veadinho, Peirópolis - Uberaba, Minas Gerais State (Brazil)

Abstract

Peirópolis is a quarter located in Uberaba County (Minas Gerais State) that has an extraordinary paleontological site of the Late Cretaceous period. This area has many vertebrate fossils, mainly dinosaurs. A great amount of these fossils were found in sandstones of the serra do Veadinho. However, a lower limestone level was economically mining by European's immigrants between 1890 and 1960. In this period, the explotation was accomplished through manual exploration's techniques contributing to the discovery of fossils. Although, in 1987, the mineral explotation was conducted through mechanical techniques, causing environmental impacts and fossil destruction. Therefore, a judicial dispute has started to the use and occupation of the area between the miner activity, local population and geoscientists. Nowadays, the area is for exclusive use of the paleontological research and, in the future, touristic activity. In this context, was analysed a historic review of the use and occupation of serra do Veadinho to examine the compatibility between miner activity and paleontological research.