Vale denies risk of imminent collapse of Brazil’s Xingu tailings dam, in Mariana (MG)

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Vale (VALE3) denied that the risk is imminent of a collapse of the Xingu dam, part of the Alegria mine, in the mining town of Mariana, Minas Gerais. In a brief statement, the company said there had been “no change in the conditions or safety level” of the site.

The mining company added that the region that could be affected by a future breach of the dam remains evacuated, after the Mariana disaster almost 6 years ago, and workers’ access to the site has been limited to the minimum necessary.

The demonstration is in response to the notice issued June 9 by the Minas Gerais Regional Labor Inspectorate, which claims there is a “serious and imminent risk of rupture by liquefaction” for the Xingu Dam.

Past venues

The tailings dam, banned by the National Mining Authority (ANM) since March 2020, has not received iron ore waste for more than 20 years, but some workers still carry out activities on the site, which triggered the action of labor inspectors.

The issue is even more sensitive considering that in November 2015, Mariana experienced the tragedy of the Fundão tailings dam breach. The incident left 19 people dead and about 500 families homeless, in addition to significant harmful environmental impacts.

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