Vale informs Forquilha IV Dam, from Mina Fábrica, in Ouro Preto (MG), has it emergency level 1 finished, on this Tuesday (30). In Barão de Cocais, the Norte Laranjeiras dam has it emergency level reduced from 2 to 1. The changes attest the safety increase and the structures stability and reinforce Vale’s commitment to the safety of the people that live close to the sites.

Forquilha IV dam underwent several improvements this year, such as adaptation of accesses, erosion correction and vegetation pruning. The actions were done using unmanned equipment, as the access to the dam is restricted, according to Labor Public Ministry (MPT) requirement. The structure has positive DCE.

Norte Laranjeiras dam also received a serie of actions and investigations in the last months and, based on the positioning of the Engineer of Record (EoR), company designers and technical staff, was concluded that the anomalia (crack) that preventively resulted in the increase to level 2 of the structure, in November 2020, does not affect the overall stability of the structure. Monitoring, safety controls and constant inspections at the dam reinforce this understanding.

The removal of the emergency level of the Forquilha IV dam and the reduction of the emergency level of Norte Laranjeiras were duly informed to competent authorities, according to guidelines established in the Emergency Action Plan for Mining Dams (PAEBM) and in Brazilian legislation, including the Brazilian National Mining Agency (ANM) and the technical audit of the Minas Gerais Public Prosecutor's Office (MPMG).

Forquilhas IV and Norte Laranjeiras dams, as all the other structures of the company, are monitored permanently by the Geotechnical Monitoring Center (CMG) and receive regular inspections from internal and external staff. Vale continues committed to meeting the best international engineering practices, always focusing on the security of the workers and the community close to the structures.

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