Vale informs that 80 Stability Condition Declarations ("DCE") of its operational structures that were to expire on March 31st, 2019 have been renewed. The inactive upstream structures, which emergency levels had already been reevaluated and which Self-Rescue Zones (Zonas de Auto Salvamento - ZAS) had already been evacuated, did not have their DCEs renewed: Sul Superior Dam of Gongo Soco Mine; B3/B4 dams of Mar Azul Mine; Vargem Grande Dam of Vargem Grande Complex; Forquilha I, Forquilha II, Forquilha III and Grupo dams of Fábrica Complex.  

 
Additionally, other  structures, with ongoing complementary studies and with the planning of reinforcement works already being carried out, did not have their DCE renewed: Auxiliary Dike of Dam 5 of Aguas Claras Mine; Dike B and Capitão do Mato Dam of Capitão do Mato Mine; Maravilhas II Dam of Vargem Grande Complex; Taquaras Dike of Mar Azul Mine; Marés II Dam of Fábrica Complex; Campo Grande Dam of Alegria Mine; Doutor Dam of Timbopeba Mine; Dike 02 of the Pontal dams system of Itabira Complex; and Dam VI of Córrego do Feijão Mine. These structures were halted and had their emergency levels raised to 1, which does not require the ZAS evacuation.
 
The external auditors reevaluated all available data from the structures and considered new interpretations for calculating safety factors in their analyses, with the adoption of new constitutive models and more conservative resistance parameters.  To secure the stability of the structures considering the new auditing parameters and following guidelines from authorities, primarily the ones given by the National Mining Agency (Agência Nacional de Mineração - ANM), Vale is working with its technicians and international experts to conclude complementary assessments to guarantee that the model used by external auditors is adequate, while planning reinforcement measures to increase these structures safety factor.
 
The loss of the DCEs of the above-mentioned structures does not reduce their safety factor, nor impact the forecast of iron ore and pellets sales of between 307 and 332 Mt, as disclosed in the release "Vale informs about updates of projections", March 28th, 2019.
 
Vale reiterates that its priority is the safety of all its structures and, consequently, of the population and workers downstream. The production from these sites will only be resumed once the safety of the structures is assured.