146 From Extraction to Experience: Águas Claras and the Rise of Global Sports in Post-Mining Landscapes Eduardo Duffles; Jussara Januário; Ana Paula Silva Della Torre; Gustavo Roque; Eliane Almeida Afiliação: Future Use, Vale, Brasil ABSTRACT Planning the transition to future land uses after mine closure is no longer just a legal requirement: it is a call to responsibility to build positive social and environmental legacies. In urban contexts, testing early and with evidence reduces uncertainty and improves the quality of decision-making. This article presents the case of the Águas Claras Mine (MAC), in Nova Lima (MG), a 19-million-square-meter area that has been inactive for 23 years, with strong potential for sports, leisure, tourism, and conservation, but also marked by diverse and overlapping demands. We adopted a strategy of gradually opening areas without operational interference, using sport — and global partnerships — as a tool for listening, testing, and engagement to validate territorial vocations, adjust safety and mobility protocols, and strengthen governance with society. The approach is anchored in principles of integrated mine closure and meaningful engagement throughout the asset life cycle (International Council on Mining and Metals [ICMM], 2019; ICMM, 2020), as well as in iterative participatory processes (The University of Queensland – Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining [UQ/CSRM], 2020). KEYWORDS mine closure; future land use; gradual opening; engagement; sport Context and problem definition Between 2020 and 2024, technical studies were conducted to understand geotechnical and environmental feasibilities and constraints, map the territory’s aptitudes and limitations, and analyze the applicable regulatory frameworks. These studies converge toward a clear diagnosis: MAC has strong potential for sports, leisure, and tourism promotion, provided that appropriate protocols and active governance are in place. In line with integrated mine closure best practices, it is recommended to incorporate early-stage vision, objectives, success criteria, and progressive planning for post-closure land use (International Council on Mining and Metals [ICMM], 2019), as well as to ensure meaningful and continuous social participation (The University of Queensland – Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining [UQ/CSRM], 2020). 2019), bem como garantir participação social significativa e contínua (UQ/CSRM, 2020). Objectives and scope This work demonstrates how sports and global partnerships were used as drivers for listening and structured testing to validate future land-use possibilities at MAC, covering: (i) infrastructure and safety requirements; (ii) community participation and perception; (iii) operational and environmental feasibility; and (iv) method transferability. The approach aligns with Design Thinking — particularly the Double Diamond framework — applying cycles of
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