RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – A tailings dam ruptured on Tuesday, October 1st, in the municipality of Nossa Senhora do Livramento, located about 40 kilometers from Cuiabá. As a result, the community of Brejal was isolated and had its power supply and telephone services interrupted.
Two employees were admitted to the municipal hospital, but without serious injuries, and have already been released. In a note, the Mato Grosso State Environmental Secretariat (SEMA) said it was working, together with the National Mining Agency (ANM), to assess the environmental impact caused by the rupture of the mining dam.
The dam, which was 15 meters tall and had a stored volume of over 582,000 cubic meters, contained gold mining waste.
In a note, ANM said that the dam is classified as having low potential damage and that the last inspection carried out on September 21st, did not detect any anomalies. “The regular inspection extracts sent in never reported any anomaly,” the note said.
SEMA said MV Mineração, the company in charge of the dam, reported the breach to the body.
According to ANM, the body’s technicians sent to the site found that the tailings had reached an area of vegetation. The tailings also knocked down the high-voltage power network that serves the region.
“At this time, the company team is carrying out the first operations and the construction of containment to prevent the tailings from advancing through an even larger area. ANM interdicted and fined the project and continues to inspect the area and check if there are any other risks,” says the agency’s note.
Source: Agência Brasil