A Brazilian court ordered local miner and iron ore producer Vale to execute an emergency plan as well as a safety plan in 15 days for two iron ore waste dams, public prosecutors said this week. The ruling follows a request by public prosecutors at Ministerio Publico Federal in Minas Gerais state (MPMG).
According to MPMG, Vale was also prevented from sending waste to the two iron ore waste dams, known as Maravilhas II and Maravilhas III, both located in the city of Nova Lima, Minas Gerais state.
Vale was also ordered to immediately communicate any situation that might cause a burst of the structures protecting the two iron ore waste dams.
Maravilhas III has three times the capacity of the Fundao dam, which burst in November 2015, killing 19 people, and halting production at pellet producer Samarco, a 50/50 joint venture between Vale and BHP Billiton.
Vale could be fined BRL 50 million ($13.2 million) if fails to meet the court ruling, prosecutors said. A judge said the danger of a dam burst is “clear,” as there is little chance for the local population to escape in such an event.