THE CITY OF VALE S.A? PARAUAPEBAS, BETWEEN URBAN AND PERIPHERAL EXPANSION AND THE PSYCHOSPHERE OF THE GREAT MINERAL COORPORATION

Abstract

This study analyzes how Vale S.A. shapes the urban psychosphere of Parauapebas, projecting a corporate image that masks the social and economic impacts resulting from mining. The research explores the company's strategies in territorial governance and its influences in areas such as commerce, health, education and the city's economic dependence. The central premise is that Vale goes beyond mining, acting as an agent that governs and shapes urban space and local development. The methodology included a literature review, interviews with local actors, fieldwork and analysis of socioeconomic data. The role of the media in building the company's positive image and the effects of this image on urban daily life were also investigated. The results show that Vale exercises significant control over the economy and local services, promoting a narrative of social and environmental responsibility that hides inequalities, precarious services and disorderly urban expansion in the outskirts. It is concluded that Vale's actions accentuate socioeconomic inequalities, reinforce the city's dependence on mining and directly affect urban development, especially in peripheral areas, guiding urban dynamics through the interests of private capital.