An official within Brazil’s Ministerio Publico Federal (MPF), a body of public prosecutors, has requested local mining authority, ANM, to inspect one of Vale’s dams, following reports of “cracks” at the company’s B5 structure.
A media report from G1 said Vale’s B5 dam, located at the company’s Nova Lima site, has presented cracks that Vale said will not affect the structure’s safety. The company said it is monitoring the cracks; the dam has a 7 million-cubic-meter capacity.
The MPF said if ANM’s inspection finds any risk to the structure, it will request that Vale raise the security level of the dam and implement an emergency plan. A higher risk level means a higher likelihood that the dam will burst.