Vale’s Dam Safety Concerns Persist: Cracks Found in Forquilha III Dam

Brazilian mining giant Vale grapples with ongoing dam safety challenges years after devastating failures.

Routine inspections recently uncovered surface cracks in the Forquilha III dam at Vale’s Fabrica iron ore mine in Minas Gerais state.

The company claims the dam’s stability remains unchanged despite the cracks. Forquilha III is already at the highest emergency level and under constant monitoring.

A downstream containment structure is in place and the self-rescue zone has been evacuated. This incident revives memories of Vale’s catastrophic dam collapses in recent years.

In 2015, a tailings dam failure at Vale’s joint venture with BHP killed 19 people and caused widespread environmental damage in Mariana. Just four years later in 2019, another Vale dam collapse in Brumadinho left hundreds dead.

Vale says it’s investigating the cracks and will make repairs as needed. The company aims to reduce the dam’s emergency level but faces ongoing scrutiny of its dam management practices.

These recurring safety issues highlight the mining industry’s struggle to prevent disasters, even after implementing stricter protocols.

As Vale works to finalize reparations for past failures, this latest incident underscores the continued risks posed by aging mining infrastructure in Brazil.

Vale’s Dam Safety Concerns Persist: Cracks Found in Forquilha III Dam