Vale informs that on Sunday afternoon at Totten Mine, a scoop bucket that was being slung underground detached from the conveyance and is currently hung up in the shaft. As a result, the conveyance for transporting employees is unavailable.

Thirty-nine employees at Vale’s Totten mine in Sudbury, Ontario, are safe and mobilizing to exit the underground mine. The employees were underground at the time and immediately went to refuge stations as part of our standard procedures. We have been in frequent communication with them since the incident. There are no reports of injuries and they have had and continue to have access to water and food. The rescue crew has reached the miners and is starting to move them up via a secondary egress ladder system. Rescuing our employees safely and timely is our number one priority.

In the first six months of 2021, Totten mine produced 3,600 tons of finished nickel. Production at the site is temporarily suspended and we are currently assessing the necessary measures to resume production.