Vale Announces That Justice Has Authorized Resumption at Brucutu Mine

The Brucutu Mine Is Responsible for 9% of the Company’s National Production and Generates Over R$ 225 Million in Taxes for the State’s Coffers.

On Tuesday, the 19th, the 1st Public Treasury and Autarchies Court of the Belo Horizonte District Authorized the Resumption of Activities at Brucutu Mine, Which Have Been Suspended Since February 4th Due to a Court Decision; However, This Does Not Represent the Immediate Resumption of Activities at the Brucutu Complex, Which Had Its Preliminary License Suspended by the State of Minas Gerais Environmental Department (Semad). “Brucutu Operations Remain Halted, Awaiting Developments from the Judicial Decision Regarding Semad, and Vale Will Keep the Market Informed of Any Updates,” the Company Stated.

The Brucutu Mine Has a Production Capacity of 30 Million Tons of Iron Ore Annually, Which Has Been Halted Since Early February Due to a Lawsuit Filed by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Minas Gerais. Brucutu Was Among the Operations That Vale Was Forced to Halt Following the Collapse of One of Its Dams in Brumadinho.

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In the Lawsuit, the Mining Company Claimed That Documents Submitted to the Case Confirmed the Stability of the Dam. Furthermore, the Structure, Which Is Not Subject to Elevation, Is Considered Safe by the National Mining Agency. Vale Also Demonstrated That, in February This Year, the Company Tetratech Issued a Report Confirming the Effectiveness of the Drainage Measures That Were Implemented. “The Results Achieved by the Specialized Company Indicated a Rate Well Below the Tolerance Level of the Attention Zone, Certifying Full Compliance with Safety Indexes,” Concluded the Judge.

In Its Defense, Vale Also Mentions the Tragedy in Brumadinho and the R$ 10 Billion Block for Damage Repair to Justify the “Urgent Need to Resume the Company’s Activities to Make Payments for Investments and Compensation.” The Company Reported Revenue of R$ 110 Billion Last Year. “The Company Has Not Measured Efforts to Support the Families of Those Affected, the Environment, and Other Impacts of the Tragedy. In Fact, It Has Entered into Legal Agreements, in Addition to Implementing Absolutely Safe Precautionary Measures for the Development of Its Activities,” Claimed the Mining Company in Its Defense Submitted to the Court.

It Is Emphasized That 40 Million Tons/Year Have Been Halted by Vale Itself as Part of the Decommissioning Plan for Dams Built with the Same Method as the Structure That Broke in Brumadinho, and 12.8 Million Tons Were Also Stopped by the Court, Which Determined That Vale Refrain from Taking Any Action Aimed at Building, Operating, Elevating, or Using the Doutor Dam, as Well as Operating the Other Structures of the Timbopeba Mine.

The Total Volume Halted to Date Corresponds to Almost 21% of Vale’s Iron Ore Production (the World’s Largest Producer of the Commodity) Initially Planned for 2019, of 400 Million Tons.

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