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About MineraMente

Understand the world behind minerals.

Photo of Ingrid Calazans

Who writes

Hi! I’m Ingrid Calazans, a mining engineer. I was born in Ipatinga, in the Steel Valley (Vale do Aço) of Minas Gerais, Brazil, a region that grew up around steel and iron ore, where mining is part of everyday life for many people.

My path to engineering was not a straight line. My first degree was in Human Resources Management, completed in 2011. Years later, I went back to college and graduated in Mining Engineering in 2020. The two fields complement each other: one explains how the earth and mines work; the other is a reminder that none of it matters unless it is explained to people.

I created MineraMente to explain the role of mining in today’s world simply and based on reliable sources.

Education

  • Mining Engineering (bachelor’s degree): Faculdade Pitágoras de Ipatinga, 2020.
  • Human Resources Management (technologist degree): Universidade Presidente Antônio Carlos (UNIPAC), 2011.

Why this blog exists

Mining is behind almost everything we use, from phones to electric cars, but it is usually explained in a way that is either too technical or too shallow. Here, the goal is to explain the role of mining in today’s world simply and honestly, starting with rare earths and Brazil’s strategic minerals.

What you will find here

  • Guides: complete, evergreen articles to understand a subject from start to finish.
  • News explained: not news reports, but commentary on what is happening in the industry, with context, pros and cons, and what it means for Brazil.

How the articles are made

  • Sources at the end of every article. Whenever possible, data comes from primary sources: government agencies, laws, technical reports and official company documents.
  • Discrepancies in plain sight. When two sources give different numbers, the article says which one was used and why.
  • Both sides. On controversial topics, the arguments of each side are presented along with who makes them.
  • Credited images. Photos come from free-license collections, with author and license in the caption; diagrams are made by MineraMente itself. The full list is inImage credits.
  • Corrections. Found an error? Write tomineramentebr@gmail.com. It will be checked and, if confirmed, corrected in the article.

About the English edition

MineraMente is written in Brazilian Portuguese. The English articles are translated and adapted from the originals, with the same sources, and explain to international readers what is specific to Brazil, such as its agencies and laws. Each one links to the original version.

Get in touch with suggestions, corrections or partnership ideas.