Paracatu, Minas Gerais
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Paracatu
| settlement_type = Municipality
| official_name =
| nickname =
| motto =
| image_skyline = Paracatu MG Brasil - Vista Parcial da cidade - panoramio.jpg
| imagesize =
| image_caption = Partial view of Paracatu
| image_flag = Bandeira de Paracatu.jpg
| image_seal = Brasão de Paracatu.jpg
| image_map = MinasGerais Municip Paracatu.svg
| mapsize =
| map_caption = Localization of Paracatu in Minas Gerais
| pushpin_map = Brazil
| pushpin_mapsize = 250
| pushpin_map_caption = Localization of Paracatu in Brazil
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_type1 = Region
| subdivision_type2 = State
| subdivision_name = {{flag|Brazil}}
| subdivision_name1 = Southeast
| subdivision_name2 = Image:Bandeira de Minas Gerais.svg Minas Gerais
| leader_title = Mayor
| leader_name = Olavo Remígio Condé (PSDB)
(2013-2016)
| established_title = Founded
| established_date = October 20, 1798
| area_magnitude =
| area_total_km2 = 8.229,588
| area_land_km2 =
| area_water_km2 =
| area_water_percent =
| area_urban_km2 =
| area_metro_km2 =
| population_as_of = 2020 [https://cidades.ibge.gov.br/brasil/mg/paracatu/panorama IBGE 2020]
| population_note =
| population_footnotes =
| population_total = 93,862
| population_urban =
| population_density_km2 = 10.29
| population_demonym = Paracatuense
| timezone = BRT
| utc_offset = −3
| timezone_DST =
| utc_offset_DST =
| coordinates = {{coord|17|13|18|S|46|52|30|W|region:BR|display=inline}}
| elevation_m = 688
| area_code = +55 38
| postal_code_type = Postal Code (CEP)
| postal_code = 38600-000
| blank_name =
| blank_info =
| website = [http://www.paracatu.mg.gov.br/ www.paracatu.mg.gov.br]
| footnotes =
}}
Paracatu is a municipality in the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil.
The name is of Tupi origin, translated "good river", from "Para" (river) and "katu" (good).
History
The region of Paracatu has been explored by Europeans since the end of the 16th century. In the middle of the 18th century deposits of gold and silver were discovered, and the area was settled. The settlement became the town Vila de Paracatu do Príncipe by royal charter in 1798.[http://cod.ibge.gov.br/2EJ IBGE], history
Economy
The economy is centered on gold mining and agriculture.
=Mining=
In Paracatu, gold has been mined since 1722.[https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/may/13/canadian-mining-company-spied-on-opponents-and-activists-in-brazil www.theguardian.com: Canadian Mininig commany spied on opponents and activists in Brazil. (13-May-2015)] The Morro do Ouro (Paracatu) open-pit mine is operated by Rio Paracatu Mineração (RPM), a 100% owned subsidiary of the Canadian company Kinross Gold Corporation. The gold content of the ore is comparatively low, about 0.41 gram of gold for every ton of ore extracted.
Annual production is about 15 tonnes of gold and 5 tonnes of silver.{{cite web|url=http://www.kinross.com/operations/operation-paracatu-brazil.aspx|title=Kinross: Operation: Paracatu Brazil|publisher=Kinross Gold Corporation|access-date=July 23, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100909014436/http://www.kinross.com/operations/operation-paracatu-brazil.aspx|archive-date=September 9, 2010}}{{cite web
|url=http://www.kinross.com/pdf/operations/Technical-Report-Paracatu.pdf
|title=Paracatu Mine Technical Report
|last=Henderson
|first=R. D.
|date=July 31, 2006
|publisher=Kinross Gold Corporation
|access-date=July 23, 2010
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101011004812/http://kinross.com/pdf/operations/Technical-Report-Paracatu.pdf
|archive-date=October 11, 2010
|url-status=dead
}}
Kinross Gold owns the open-pit Paracatu gold mine operated as Kinross Brasil Mineração S.A. that includes two process plants, two tailings facilities, as well as accompanying infrastructure.{{cite book|title=Canadian and American Mines Handbook|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8pxNAQAAIAAJ|year=2005|publisher=Business Information Group|isbn=978-0-919336-63-6}}
This mine is the region's largest employer.{{cite web|title=Metso to supply grinding equipment to Kinross Gold's Paracatu in Brazil|url=http://im-mining.com/2011/01/03/metso-to-supply-grinding-equipment-to-kinross-golds-paracatu-in-brazil/|website=International Mining|publisher=International Mining|access-date=23 September 2016}} In 2015, Paracatu produced 477,662 gold equivalent ounces.See page MDA 20 of 2015 Kinross Gold Annual Report http://s2.q4cdn.com/496390694/files/doc_financials/annual/2016/2015-Kinross-Gold-Annual-Report.pdf
=Agriculture=
Cattle raising is the main agricultural activity with 231,000 head (1996). The main breeds are: Zebu (Gir, Indu-Brasil, Guzerá and Nelore), Girolanda, Frisian and Brown-Swiss. There is also large production of soybeans, corn, rice, beans, and also some coffee.
Paracatu is the commercial center for an area one third the size of Portugal. In 2006 there were 6 banking branches: Banco do Brasil, Itaú, Bradesco, Banco Mercantil, Banco Bamerindus, and Caixa Econômica Federal.{{cite web|url=http://www.paracatu.mg.gov.br/index.php?m=layout_paginas_1.php&paginas_id=3 |title= Agências bancárias |publisher=Prefeitura Municipal Paracatu |access-date=2010-07-23}} The GDP was R$754,090,000 (2005).{{cite web|url=http://www.ibge.gov.br/cidadesat/default.php |title=IBGE |publisher=IBGE |access-date=2010-07-23}}
In 1978 the municipality began to receive investments from the Brazilian and the Japanese government to develop the cerrado soils, through the PRODECER-Programa de Cooperação Nipo-Brasileiro para o Desenvolviemnto do Cerrado.
Because of new technologies used to develop the cerrado, agriculture in Paracatu became efficient and profitable in many properties. Nowadays, the cultivated area in the municipality surpasses 1000 square kilometres, with 300 square kilometres irrigated by central pivot sprinklers. This number has raised Paracatu to the position of greatest continuous area irrigated by center pivot irrigation in South America, using 318 center pivot sprinklers.{{cite web|url=http://www.paracatu.mg.gov.br |title=Prefeitura Municipal de Paracatu |publisher=Paracatu.mg.gov.br |access-date=2010-07-23}}
==Agricultural data==
In 2006 there were 995 rural producers with total agricultural land of 389,095 ha. Of the total 85,000 ha. were planted, 180,000 ha. were in natural pasture, and 113,000 were in forest or woodland. Around 4,500 persons were employed in agriculture. There were 768 tractors. The planted area of some of the main crops in hectares was:
Quilombola population
Many quilombola (descendants of escaped slaves) communities live in and near Paracatu, often in poverty.{{cite news
|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKN0342995720070703
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100816190314/http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKN0342995720070703
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=August 16, 2010
|title=Descendants of slaves still suffer in Brazil
|last=Colitt
|first=Raymond
|date=July 4, 2007
|publisher=Reuters
|access-date=July 23, 2010}}{{cite news
|url=http://www.reporterbrasil.com.br/exibe.php?id=1732
|title=Incra não cumpre meta e titula 2 territórios quilombolas em 2009
|last=Pyl
|first=Bianca
|date=May 3, 2010
|work=Repórter Brasil
|language=pt
|access-date=July 23, 2010}}
Health and education
In 2005 there were 29 health establishments, 19 of which were public and 10 of which were private.
There was 1 hospital with 139 beds. The score on the Municipal Human Development Index was 0.760. This ranked Paracatu 207 out of 853 municipalities in the state, with Poços de Caldas in first place with 0.841 and Setubinha in last place with 0.568.{{cite web |url=http://www.frigoletto.com.br/GeoEcon/idhmg.htm |title=Frigoletto |publisher=Frigoletto |access-date=2010-07-23 |archive-date=2011-07-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706152853/http://www.frigoletto.com.br/GeoEcon/idhmg.htm |url-status=dead }}
Paracatu has 4 faculties with undergraduation and graduation courses: Faculdade Tecsoma, FINOM – Faculdade do Noroeste de Minas, Faculdade Unimontes, and Faculdade Atenas.{{cite web|url=http://www.paracatuonline.com.br/ |title=Cidades On Line – Paracatu |publisher=Paracatuonline.com.br |access-date=2010-07-23}}
Transportation
The city is served by Pedro Rabelo de Souza Airport.
Climate
Paracatu has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen: Aw) with a hot rainy season and warm dry season.
{{Weather box
| width = auto
| collapsed = yes
| metric first = yes
| single line = yes
| location = Paracatu (1991–2020)
| Jan high C = 30.5
| Feb high C = 30.8
| Mar high C = 30.3
| Apr high C = 30.0
| May high C = 28.7
| Jun high C = 28.0
| Jul high C = 28.3
| Aug high C = 30.1
| Sep high C = 32.0
| Oct high C = 32.5
| Nov high C = 30.5
| Dec high C = 30.0
| year high C = 30.1
| Jan mean C = 24.6
| Feb mean C = 24.8
| Mar mean C = 24.4
| Apr mean C = 23.9
| May mean C = 22.0
| Jun mean C = 20.7
| Jul mean C = 20.7
| Aug mean C = 22.4
| Sep mean C = 24.6
| Oct mean C = 25.7
| Nov mean C = 24.5
| Dec mean C = 24.3
| year mean C = 23.6
| Jan low C = 20.3
| Feb low C = 20.3
| Mar low C = 20.1
| Apr low C = 19.2
| May low C = 16.7
| Jun low C = 15.1
| Jul low C = 14.7
| Aug low C = 15.8
| Sep low C = 18.5
| Oct low C = 20.2
| Nov low C = 20.1
| Dec low C = 20.2
| year low C = 18.4
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 258.0
| Feb precipitation mm = 204.4
| Mar precipitation mm = 207.8
| Apr precipitation mm = 73.8
| May precipitation mm = 24.1
| Jun precipitation mm = 5.6
| Jul precipitation mm = 0.9
| Aug precipitation mm = 8.9
| Sep precipitation mm = 28.8
| Oct precipitation mm = 80.3
| Nov precipitation mm = 212.2
| Dec precipitation mm = 313.4
| year precipitation mm = 1418.2
| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
| Jan precipitation days = 15.1
| Feb precipitation days = 11.7
| Mar precipitation days = 12.3
| Apr precipitation days = 6.3
| May precipitation days = 2.3
| Jun precipitation days = 0.6
| Jul precipitation days = 0.3
| Aug precipitation days = 0.8
| Sep precipitation days = 3.2
| Oct precipitation days = 6.9
| Nov precipitation days = 14.1
| Dec precipitation days = 17.4
| year precipitation days = 91.0
| Jan humidity = 76.9
| Feb humidity = 75.8
| Mar humidity = 78.2
| Apr humidity = 75.0
| May humidity = 72.6
| Jun humidity = 69.1
| Jul humidity = 63.4
| Aug humidity = 55.9
| Sep humidity = 54.7
| Oct humidity = 60.3
| Nov humidity = 74.3
| Dec humidity = 78.7
| year humidity = 69.6
| Jan dew point C = 20.6
| Feb dew point C = 20.7
| Mar dew point C = 20.9
| Apr dew point C = 19.8
| May dew point C = 17.6
| Jun dew point C = 15.8
| Jul dew point C = 14.4
| Aug dew point C = 14.0
| Sep dew point C = 15.4
| Oct dew point C = 17.6
| Nov dew point C = 19.9
| Dec dew point C = 20.6
| year dew point C = 18.1
| Jan sun = 192.6
| Feb sun = 187.5
| Mar sun = 203.0
| Apr sun = 230.2
| May sun = 247.4
| Jun sun = 258.8
| Jul sun = 270.9
| Aug sun = 277.0
| Sep sun = 246.5
| Oct sun = 219.4
| Nov sun = 163.9
| Dec sun = 165.8
| year sun = 2663.0
| source 1 = NOAA{{cite web
|url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/2.2/data/0-data/Region-3-WMO-Normals-9120/Brazil/CSV/PARACATU_83479.csv
|title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Paracatu
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = January 31, 2024}}
}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Paracatu}}
- [http://www.paracatu.mg.gov.br/ City Hall of Paracatu website]
- [http://www.mg.gov.br/ Government of the State of Minas Gerais website]
{{Municipalities of Minas Gerais}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Paracatu, Minas Gerais}}