Brazilian pellet producer Samarco, a 50/50 joint venture between Vale and BHP Billiton, received Monday two waste system permits, and is now a small step closer to resuming operations.
The company’s operations were halted in November 2015, following a deadly iron ore waste dam burst that killed 19 people.
The Minas Gerais state chamber of mining activities (CMI) granted Samarco two permits, a provisional and an installing license for its Alegria Sul pit at the company’s Mariana complex. Samarco plans to use the pit to store iron ore waste once production resumes.
With the two permits, Samarco can now adapt and expand the pit, but will need an operating license for the pit, as well as another license for its entire complex.
Samarco intends to use the Alegria Sul pit for six years, although the company did not provide a forecast for when it could resume operations.