Evolução da atividade minerária no município de Santa Quitéria (CE) e sua influência do desenvolvimento econômico local

Abstract

Mining is essential to human development, with direct impacts on industry and technological innovation. Brazil stands out globally in the extraction, processing, and export of mineral inputs due to its geological diversity, which attracts significant interest from international markets. In recent years, the state of Ceará has gained prominence in the export market of ornamental stones, considered an important and strategic segment of regional mining. In this context, the municipality of Santa Quitéria stands out for hosting one of the largest uranium deposits, in addition to its role in the production and export of ornamental stones in Ceará. Although mining brings several local benefits in terms of development, there is limited discussion regarding economic parameters and how they reflect the influence of mining on a municipality’s economic development. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the contribution of mining to the economic development of Santa Quitéria through the use of economic indicators such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Financial Compensation for Mineral Exploitation(CFEM), and Fiscal Added Value (FAV), as well as to understand the role of active mining processes, local development, and job creation. The analysis of the indicators revealed that between 2018 and 2024, the municipality remained economically stable in the face of global crises, maintaining steady growth in tax revenues and CFEM transfers, ranking 12th (2.58%) among the main mining municipalities in the state. In addition, the economic potential of the municipality was confirmed through the Fiscal Added Value (FAV), along with a growth trend driven by the search for natural resources, evidenced by 99 mining processes under the exploration authorization regime and the installation of large-scale enterprises, such as the Santa Quitéria Project. Although mining is not yet the largest source of direct formal employment, the mapping of active mining processes and the projections of the Santa Quitéria Project indicate that mining activity will consolidate as a strategic ally of the local economy, with expectations of a significant increase in economic participation, tax revenue, and formal job creation.