Brazil’s Vale resumes operations after halt due to heavy rains

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The three plants represent half of the system’s capacity in this area of the country. In the Southeast system, the restart of railway service is allowing production to be resumed at Brucutu and Mariana.

The company has estimated an impact of around 1.5 million metric tons in production and third-party purchases due to the rains. However, Vale has indicated that some losses may be recovered throughout the year and stated that its annual output estimate takes into account seasonal factors.

With respect to tailings dams, which are used to store water and waste from the extraction process, Vale has raised the emergency protocol from level 1 to 2 at the inactive Area IX structure and initiated the emergency protocol to level 1 at the Elefante dam after detecting erosion.

“The company has begun studies and corrective measures in both cases,” the company said, clarifying that there is no permanent occupation of people in the relevant self-rescue areas and no additional evacuation is required.