Maria Laura Barreto

Director Material Efficiency Research Group

Dr. Maria Laura Barreto is co-director of the Material Efficiency Research Group - MERG, a Canadian-based consulting firm established in 2003. Dr. Barreto has over 30 years of experience with the extractive industry field of environmental and mining law, policies, and practices in the extractive industries. Recently a key area of focus has been on circular economy strategies for accessing green energy transition minerals.

She began her career in Mozambique, where she worked primarily as a legal advisor to the Ministry of Mineral Resources. During 17 years, Dr. Barreto worked in Brazil as a researcher at the Center for Mineral Technology (CETEM), professor of Mining Law and Natural Resources, provided consulting services and acted as policy advisor to the Secretary of Mining and Metallurgy. In CETEM, she focused mainly on two main areas - the implications of the concept of sustainable development for the mineral sector and the formalization of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM).

Since 2007, Dr. Barreto has been a member of the Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM) Board of Directors - a nonprofit organization that is focused on ASM.

Dr. Barreto has a degree in Law, a master's degree in Law and a doctorate in Mining Engineering.

2024 Agenda Sessions

What role does mining have to play in circularity?

Beyond recycling: a holistic approach to making mining more circular.
Product stewardship: can the miner take a value chain approach and influence how the market uses and stewards their product towards circular systems?
African innovation: what home grown solutions can Africa offer to make mining more circular?
Who is driving greater circularity in mining?

Wednesday 07 February 11:20 - 12:05 Stewards Stage

Sustainability Series

Add to calendar 02/07/2024 11:20 02/07/2024 12:05 What role does mining have to play in circularity?

Beyond recycling: a holistic approach to making mining more circular.
Product stewardship: can the miner take a value chain approach and influence how the market uses and stewards their product towards circular systems?
African innovation: what home grown solutions can Africa offer to make mining more circular?
Who is driving greater circularity in mining?

Stewards Stage Africa/Johannesburg

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