Vale Evacuates 500 People from Dam Area in Brazil as a Precaution

SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Brazilian authorities have instructed Vale SA to evacuate approximately 500 individuals from the dam area at its Gongo Soco mine in Minas Gerais as a precautionary step, the mining company reported on Friday.

This evacuation follows the tragic events of January 25, when a Vale-operated mine in Brumadinho collapsed, resulting in the deaths of around 300 people, marking it as Brazil’s most devastating mining disaster.

In a related incident on the same day, residents near another dam in Minas Gerais, managed by Arcelor Mittal, were also evacuated, according to firefighters, though no details or reasons for the evacuation were provided.

Vale stated that the Brazilian mining agency mandated the evacuation of the Gongo Soco dam area after a report from engineering consultancy Walm highlighted that a stability assurance certificate for the dam had not been issued.

In response, Vale has ramped up inspections in the vicinity, is installing equipment to monitor vibrations, and is consulting with international experts to evaluate the dam’s condition.

As a safety measure, the 500 residents from Barão dos Cocais, where the dam is located, were relocated to a nearby gymnasium, as announced by the municipality on social media.

Additionally, Vale’s port terminal in Vitoria, located in Espirito Santo, was closed due to pollution concerns. The municipality reported on Thursday that Vale had been fined 35 million reais (approximately $9.5 million) for discharging mining waste into the ocean. Vale has acknowledged the fine, stating it would take necessary actions but insisted that recent inspections did not reveal any issues.

In the aftermath of the Brumadinho catastrophe, the state of Minas Gerais revoked Vale’s license to operate another dam and mine in the region, amid escalating public scrutiny following the accident.

On Tuesday, Vale declared force majeure on several iron ore contracts due to a court-ordered suspension of a mine that contributed nearly 9% of its production after the disaster.