Vale triggers emergency protocol at Ouro Preto dam
Brazilian iron ore miner Vale SA on Thursday said it had preemptively triggered an emergency protocol at its Forquilha IV dam which processes waste from its Fábrica mine near the historic town of Ouro Preto.
Vale said it had taken the decision for the protocol, which does not require the evacuation of nearby residents, in agreement with regulators after an anomaly was identified at the dam “during routine inspection.”
The move, which Vale said would not affect its 2019 production targets, is the latest in a series of emergency moves Vale has taken since the collapse of its tailings dam at Brumadinho, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) away, which killed more than 250 people in January.
As a result, the Forquila IV dam is expected to lose its stability certificate (DCE) from Brazil’s national mining regulator, Vale said, adding that the dam had not received new iron ore mining waste since February.
Three other nearby dams, Forquilha I, II and III, have already been halted because of what the regulator deems as a “Level 2” emergency.
Ouro Preto, known for its Portuguese colonial architecture, is a UNESCO world heritage site that is one of Brazil’s most visited towns.
A global inquiry into how mining companies store billions of tonnes of waste in huge dams, launched in the wake of the Brumadinha disaster, showed on Thursday that about a tenth of the structures have had stability issues.
source: Mining.com
Top News
Six last month
Iran Alloy Steel Company intends to purchase 12 tons of ferrotungsten through public tender
Iran Alloy Steel Company intends to purchase 150 tons of Low-Carbon Ferro Manganese through public tender
Gold price faces worst week since 2021 as Fed signals no rate-cut rush
Gold loses some luster after Trump’s decisive win
Iron ore price flirts with key $100/t level on firm demand, China stimulus hopes
Hedge funds slash bullish wagers on gold over Trump election win
Resolute Mining says it will pay Mali $160 million in tax dispute
Families gather at South African mine shaft where hundreds are feared stuck underground
Higher silver supply to reduce global deficit by 4% in 2024
BHP to spend up to $14 billion on Chilean copper expansion
Chile’s rare salt flat fish faces threat from lithium mining project
British Columbia creates new mining ministry to tackle critical minerals amid doubts over capacity
China’s germanium, gallium ban could cost the US $3.4 billion
South Africa police standoff with illegal gold miners escalates
Iran Alloy Steel Company intends to purchase 150 tons of Low-Carbon Ferro Manganese through public tender
Iran Alloy Steel Company intends to purchase 12 tons of ferrotungsten through public tender
Iron ore price flirts with key $100/t level on firm demand, China stimulus hopes
Newmont sells Ontario gold mine to Orla for $850 million
BHP warns Australian mining not ready for low-cost competitors
Iran Alloy Steel Company intends to purchase 12 tons of ferrotungsten through public tender
Iran Alloy Steel Company intends to purchase 150 tons of Low-Carbon Ferro Manganese through public tender
Chile’s rare salt flat fish faces threat from lithium mining project
British Columbia creates new mining ministry to tackle critical minerals amid doubts over capacity
Newmont sells Ontario gold mine to Orla for $850 million
BHP warns Australian mining not ready for low-cost competitors
Resolute Mining says it will pay Mali $160 million in tax dispute
Trump chooses oil fracking boss as energy secretary
Gold loses some luster after Trump’s decisive win
