​Vale will streamline the process to remove and dispose of the tailings from the breach of B1 dam. The company has been authorized by Brazil's National Mining Agency (ANM, Agência Nacional de Mineração) and the State Department of Environment and Sustainable Development (Semad, Secretaria de Estado de Meio Ambiente e Desenvolvimento Sustentável) to dispose of the tailings that have already been inspected and released by the Military Fire Brigade of Minas Gerais at Córrego do Feijão mine, in Brumadinho.
 
This measure is part of the Integrated Tailings and Waste Management Plan delivered and approved by the relevant authorities. It is expected that the tailings deposited at the valley of Ferro-Carvão stream up to the confluence of Paraopeba river are removed and disposed of in the extraction site until 2023.
 
Last Friday (28), the use of the extraction site was authorized by the ANM and formalized by the publication of an order in the Federal Official Gazette (DOU, Diário Oficial da União). In December last year, the environmental license for this action was granted by Semad. The disposal of tailings in the extraction site is essential to continue the searching operation defined by the Military Fire Brigade and to recover affected areas.
 
The company reinforces its commitment to comply with environmental legislation throughout the process, in addition to periodically reporting to the relevant authorities.
 
Adequate conditions for tailings disposal
 
Vale will separate waste - such as metals, rubber, and wood - before disposing of the tailings in the extraction site. This process complies with the specifications of the environmental agencies so that the tailings conditions are adequate to be disposed of and for the proper disposal of waste. In order to carry out this action, the company will use the screens from the Dry Ore Treatment Plant (ITMS, Instalação de Tratamento de Minério a Seco) of Córrego do Feijão mine and other mobile screens.
 
The action complies with the National Policy for Solid Waste and has been duly reported to the environmental authorities, ANM, and Military Fire Brigade of Minas Gerais.