http://www.vale.com/EN/investors/inform ... -mine.aspx
5/16/2019
Vale on the slope of Gongo Soco mine
Rio de Janeiro, May 16th, 2019 – Vale S.A. (“Vale”) informs that its teams have identified a movement at the North slope of the Gongo Soco mine pit in Barão de Cocais (Minas Gerais),
which has been paralyzed since 2016, whose potential displacement would be naturally absorved within the pit.
However, in a preventive manner, Vale is evaluating the potential impacts from vibrations, caused by this displacement, on the Sul Superior dam, which is located approximately 1.5 km away from the slope, which led Vale to proactively inform the competent authorities. The pit and the dam are under 24/7 monitoring.
The Sul Superior dam was classified as Level 3 on March 22nd, and the Self-Rescue Zone (ZAS, Zona de Autossalvamento) had already been preventively evacuated on February 8th, totaling 458 realocated people. All preventive measures for this scenario have already been taken, including emergency training with residents of the Secondary Safety Zone (ZSS, Zona de Segurança Secundária). Also in March, the Civil Defense and Vale equipped the ZSS with signs for escape routes. Meeting points, with 24/7 teams ready to assist the population, were defined as well.
Self-Rescue Zone is the region ranging up to 10 km or 30 minutes away from the point of the dam rupture, as defined by the Emergency Mining Dam Response Plan (PAEBM, Plano de Ação de Emergência de Barragens de Mineração).
