Specialization in Dam Safety trains 41 Professionals

Brazil’s commitment to safety in mining was reaffirmed this Friday (October 10) during the closing ceremony of the Specialization Course in Dam Safety. The program, which trained 41 professionals, is the result of a partnership among the Brazilian Mining Agency (ANM), the Itaipu Technological Park (Itaipu Parquetec), and Itaipu Binacional, with implementation by the Institute for Technological Research (IPT).

The specialization is part of the Project for the Development of Dam Monitoring Solutions and enabled the training of 31 ANM staff members, 29 of whom work at the Superintendence for the Safety of Mining Dams and Waste Piles (SBP). The course was carried out at no cost to the Agency and represents progress in consolidating public policies focused on risk prevention and technological innovation in brazilian mining.

The closing ceremony brought together representatives of the partner institutions and was opened by the manager of the Advanced Center for Dam Solutions (CEASB), Alexandra da Silva Belini, who presented the results of Goal 3 of the agreement, related to training initiatives. In total, 329 enrollments were offered to ANM employees in short-term courses under the project, in addition to the 31 graduates of the specialization.

The program prepares professionals to perform project analysis, construction, operation, maintenance, and dam safety assessment activities. It contributes to the implementation of the National Dam Safety Policy by promoting new technical skills and encouraging the production of scientific knowledge through the development of papers and research focused on the sector.

In his speech, ANM’s Superintendent for the Safety of Mining Dams and Waste Piles, Luiz Paniago Neves, emphasized the direct impact of the training:

“These are not courses that sit on the shelf. They were designed to add value to our team. It is only fair that we have a well-qualified regulatory staff, and this is only possible thanks to solid partnerships such as the one with Itaipu. And to crown this partnership, they brought in IPT. I thank the entire teaching staff, technical team, students, and Itaipu for this shared journey.”

The Director of Technologies at the Itaipu Technological Park, Alexandre Gonçalves Leite, highlighted the transformative role of the initiative:

“The market is eager for qualified professionals, and today we are delivering 41 specialists in dam safety to serve the country. May there be more courses and projects in this field!”

The Executive Technical Director of Itaipu Binacional, Renato Soares Sacramento, emphasized the practical focus of the program and the company’s long-standing legacy in the field:

“We have fully achieved the proposed goals. I hope everything taught here will be applied in practice, contributing to dam safety—a fundamental issue for Itaipu. It is gratifying to share the knowledge accumulated over nearly 50 years of operation.”

Representing IPT, the Technical Director of Technological Education, Professor Eduardo Luiz Machado, underscored the human and ethical dimension of learning:

“It was an intense learning journey. The topic of dam safety involves social and environmental responsibility, and our goal was to combine technical experience with applied practices. The graduates are now better prepared to face the country’s challenges with ethics and technical rigor.”

The course, the result of a strategic collaboration among public and technological institutions, establishes a new standard of excellence in the operations of the National Mining Agency. In addition to strengthening the technical expertise of its staff, it reinforces the institution’s commitment to innovation, safety, and risk prevention in mining and multipurpose dams.

“We will continue to seek new partnerships and learning opportunities because dam safety is, above all, a commitment to the nation,” added Paniago.

The academic structure of the specialization was presented by José Maria de Camargo Barros, IPT’s Business Support Manager. The course, which began in February 2024, had two areas of emphasis:

Multipurpose Dams, with a total workload of 432 hours, for professionals from Itaipu Binacional and Itaipu Technological Park;

Mining Dams, with 456 hours, for ANM staff members.

Among the final research projects presented, the study “Legislation and Regulation of Mining Dam Safety – A Historical and Comparative Analysis between Brazil and Chile”, developed by ANM staff members Pedro Dionelo Lacerda and Patrícia Piza, stood out.

As the specialization concludes, graduates carry with them not only technical knowledge but also the commitment to turn learning into concrete actions that strengthen Brazil’s culture of dam safety. The legacy of the program goes beyond education—it consolidates a model of institutional cooperation that brings together education, science, and public management in service of national sovereignty.