Brazil: Vale suspends part of its operations in Minas Gerais state due to heavy rains

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – On Monday, the mining company Vale said it has partially halted production in the Southeast and South Systems to ensure the safety of its employees and communities due to heavy rains affecting Minas Gerais.

According to a statement, the circulation of trains on the Vitória-Minas Railroad (EFVM) was affected.

Despite the stoppage, Vale has maintained its production target of 320 million to 335 million tons of iron ore by 2022.

According to the company, in the Southeast System, the EFVM was paralyzed on the Rio Piracicaba-João Monlevade stretch, preventing material flow from the Brucutu mine and the Mariana complex, “which have suspended production”.

The Desembargador Drummond-Nova Era stretch is also paralyzed, but it is being released and has not affected production at the Itabira Complex.

In the Southern System, due to the interdiction of stretches of the BR-040 and MG-030 highways, the safety of circulation of employees and third parties, and the infrastructure of the mining front, the production of all the complexes is temporarily halted.

“Vale is taking all necessary measures to resume activities, maintaining its focus on the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of employees and communities located around its structures,” the company said.

According to Vale, the North System continues to operate according to the production plan, which considers the seasonal impact of the rainy season on all operations.

The company also emphasized that “there was no change in the emergency level in any of its structures, which are permanently monitored by inspections, maintenance, radar, robotic stations, video cameras and instruments such as manual and automatic piezometers.

With information from Reuters