Sustainable development is a form for the mining sector to overcome the paradox it faces: how to meet the worldwide demand for ores and, at the same time, approach the social-environmental impacts in communities near to their extraction, production and marketing, fighting against poverty and protecting the environment.
Consolidating the commitment to the sustainable development, in 1998 SAMA took an important step when it implemented the Environmental Management System, based on NBR ISO 14001, thus becoming the world’s first asbestos mining company to receive such certification.

Several actions are taken aiming at the environmental sustainability and the improvement of the life quality of its employees and of the population residing around the enterprise.
Environmental awareness is a material factor for SAMA, where programs of water use optimization, biodiversity preservation and awareness of the population about the risks and impacts of disordered burns are developed.
The constant monitoring of the air quality, in the company and around the enterprise, where the community of Minaçu is located, allied to the search for continuous improvement of its industrial process resulted in the installation of the largest air filtering system of Latin America.
Focusing the continuous improvement, SAMA is implementing the Solid Waste Management Program, the purpose of which is the re-utilization, recycling or proper destination of solid waste generated in the industrial area, company’s residential village and in the City of Minaçu.