Mining Companies Like Vale, CSN, Usiminas, and Vallourec Suspend Production in Minas Gerais Due to Rainfall

Written by Roberta Souza

Published on 12/01/2022 at 12:40

Foto: reprodução

Be the first to react!

Heavy Rains in Minas Gerais Disrupt Production of Mining Companies

The state of Minas Gerais has been hit by such heavy rains that the production of mining companies had to be halted. Among the suspended operations are Vale, one of the largest iron ore suppliers in the world, CSN, Usiminas, and Vallourec, whose production was interrupted by the courts after a dam overflowed.

During the morning of the 10th, Vale stated that it needed to partially suspend its production in the Southeast and South systems. According to the mining company, the decision aims to ensure that employees are safe due to the level of rainfall in Minas Gerais. Despite the situation, Vale’s planning already considers the rainy season, maintaining its production estimate of iron ore between 320 and 335 million tons.

The mining company highlighted that it continues to monitor the rains in Minas Gerais, keeping its dams monitored continuously and in real time. The strong concern of the mining companies is about the safety of the dams, due to the recent tragedies in Mariana and Brumadinho.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

See also

Regarding Mineração Usiminas, production in Minas Gerais will resume when weather conditions are favorable for the proper functioning of the equipment and after a review of the facilities. The company states that, for now, the suspension of the mining operations will not affect its steel production, as there is stock available.

In turn, CSN said that operations at the Casa de Pedra mine are temporarily halted, but could resume activities in the coming days. In Rio, also due to the rains, the loading of ore at the Coal Terminal in the port of Itaguaí is suspended.

According to experts consulted by Estadão, it is still too early to determine the impact on the expected iron ore production volumes for this year – and whether there will be pressure on the commodity’s prices, considering that Brazil is a major exporter of the input.

“Short-Term Suspensions”

The chairman of the Board of Directors of the Brazilian Mining Institute (Ibram), Wilson Brumer, states: “I believe these are short-term suspensions, and I do not foresee potential changes in projections. My perception, in the case of exports, is that there are stocks in ports to meet demand. And in the case of the domestic market, there are stocks at the plants”.

January is typically rainy, though this year the rains have been more pronounced, it is still normal, according to analysts from BTG Pactual. However, they agree with the suspensions in Minas Gerais: “After past dam incidents, we welcome the zero-tolerance approach that mining companies are adopting in the country to minimize operational risks.”

Closed Mines

In the Southeast System, Vale’s Mariana and Brucutu mines have been suspended. In the South System, due to the interdiction of the BR-040 and MG-030 roads, overall production of the complexes has been halted. The Northern System of the mining company has not been affected and continues to operate normally. BTG emphasized that one-third of Vale’s capacity is currently suspended.

In the case of CSN, production at its main mine, Casa de Pedra, located in Congonhas, Minas Gerais, has been affected. Usiminas has suspended all iron ore production so far.

Small Mines Also Affected

In addition to the large mining companies, small-scale mines are also waiting for the rains to end before restarting production. One example is Atlântica Mineração, which had to suspend its expansion works due to the situation. “We have two mines ready to start operations, but we can’t even take the equipment there, as we need to make some improvements to the access roads,” says the company’s director, Maurício Índio do Brasil.

Mining Companies Like Vale, CSN, Usiminas, and Vallourec Suspend Production in Minas Gerais Due to Rainfall

Heavy Rains in Minas Gerais Disrupt Production of Mining Companies

See Also:

“Short-Term Suspensions”

Closed Mines

Small Mines Also Affected

A village with 115 inhabitants wants new residents: it offers a house, a job, up to 44 thousand euros in benefits, almost free rent, an annual grant of 8 thousand euros for 3 years, and a 20 thousand euro incentive for businesses in the mountains of Italy.

NASA is offering US$ 750,000 to people from anywhere in the world who solve a problem that could decide survival on Mars: creating food for astronauts without relying on resupply from Earth.

While countries spend billions to draw water from the sea, a Nobel-winning scientist creates a container-sized machine that extracts up to 1,000 liters per day from dry air and uses ultrasound to release water in minutes, even in the middle of the desert.

Belgium will sink 23 giant concrete caissons, each weighing 22,000 tons, in the North Sea to build the world’s first artificial energy island 45 km off the coast, forming offshore electrical walls.

New microwave that can replace three appliances hits the market: Sharp launches 3-in-1 model that combines air fryer, convection oven, and heating in 0.9 cubic feet for small kitchens

While Brazil has been discussing bullet trains for 16 years, China delivers 5 new high-speed lines in 2026, surpasses 50,000 km of HSR, and moves 1 billion passengers in a single year.

With an 88-meter wingspan, a capacity of 250 tons, six engines, and 32 wheels, the Ukrainian giant became the greatest symbol of extreme air transport and one of the most impressive machines in aviation history.

A public school student creates an “electric defensive” that uses only water, salt, and energy to protect crops without industrial pesticides, wins the Young Scientists Award 2025, and transforms an invisible chemical process into a solution for small farmers.

Brazil wants to become a military power, and missiles capable of hitting targets up to 200 km away begin to be produced in SIATT’s national factory, which already delivers the first batch to the Army and expands strategic surveillance of the Blue Amazon.

Xiaomi goes beyond cell phones and launches an electric kettle with 316Ti titanium steel, 1,800 W of power, and technology that keeps water hot for 24 hours, does not rust, prevents a metallic taste, and costs around R$ 101 in China.

The IMF shows Brazil’s reality in the coming years and projects the country back into the top 10 largest economies in the world by 2030, with a GDP of US$ 3.20 trillion and a jump of US$ 560 billion in five years.

Goodbye traditional microwave: Brastemp surprises and launches a 23-liter version with Multi-Prep function for brownie, risotto, and brigadeiro, smart weight-based defrosting, QR Code with recipes, and an initial price of R$ 639 in Brazil.

Mining Companies Like Vale, CSN, Usiminas, and Vallourec Suspend Production in Minas Gerais Due to Rainfall

Heavy Rains in Minas Gerais Disrupt Production of Mining Companies

See Also:

“Short-Term Suspensions”

Closed Mines

Small Mines Also Affected

A village with 115 inhabitants wants new residents: it offers a house, a job, up to 44 thousand euros in benefits, almost free rent, an annual grant of 8 thousand euros for 3 years, and a 20 thousand euro incentive for businesses in the mountains of Italy.

NASA is offering US$ 750,000 to people from anywhere in the world who solve a problem that could decide survival on Mars: creating food for astronauts without relying on resupply from Earth.

While countries spend billions to draw water from the sea, a Nobel-winning scientist creates a container-sized machine that extracts up to 1,000 liters per day from dry air and uses ultrasound to release water in minutes, even in the middle of the desert.

Belgium will sink 23 giant concrete caissons, each weighing 22,000 tons, in the North Sea to build the world’s first artificial energy island 45 km off the coast, forming offshore electrical walls.

New microwave that can replace three appliances hits the market: Sharp launches 3-in-1 model that combines air fryer, convection oven, and heating in 0.9 cubic feet for small kitchens

While Brazil has been discussing bullet trains for 16 years, China delivers 5 new high-speed lines in 2026, surpasses 50,000 km of HSR, and moves 1 billion passengers in a single year.

With an 88-meter wingspan, a capacity of 250 tons, six engines, and 32 wheels, the Ukrainian giant became the greatest symbol of extreme air transport and one of the most impressive machines in aviation history.

What’s so special about this little Brazilian town to receive R$ 25 billion for a cellulose megafactory and have more people working than inhabitants?

While traditional masonry can take months, a Brazilian company sells houses that arrive ready-made on a truck, install in up to 8 hours, and already come with electrical, plumbing, bathrooms, and finishes.

The delivery of a 15 m² container studio apartment, furnished with a bed, nightstand, wardrobe, slatted panel headboard, custom-designed kitchen, and a corner shower enclosure in the bathroom. The client will use the house on weekends.

A 60 m² container house with three bedrooms, including a master suite and two children’s bedrooms. The team’s assembly took five business days, and the structure came pre-finished from the factory.

China achieves the “impossible,” transforms air into aviation fuel, and could be the solution to the airline industry’s cost pressures.

A public school student creates an “electric defensive” that uses only water, salt, and energy to protect crops without industrial pesticides, wins the Young Scientists Award 2025, and transforms an invisible chemical process into a solution for small farmers.

Brazil wants to become a military power, and missiles capable of hitting targets up to 200 km away begin to be produced in SIATT’s national factory, which already delivers the first batch to the Army and expands strategic surveillance of the Blue Amazon.

Xiaomi goes beyond cell phones and launches an electric kettle with 316Ti titanium steel, 1,800 W of power, and technology that keeps water hot for 24 hours, does not rust, prevents a metallic taste, and costs around R$ 101 in China.

The IMF shows Brazil’s reality in the coming years and projects the country back into the top 10 largest economies in the world by 2030, with a GDP of US$ 3.20 trillion and a jump of US$ 560 billion in five years.

Goodbye traditional microwave: Brastemp surprises and launches a 23-liter version with Multi-Prep function for brownie, risotto, and brigadeiro, smart weight-based defrosting, QR Code with recipes, and an initial price of R$ 639 in Brazil.