Brazilian miner and iron ore producer Vale said this week it has halted operations at its Fabrica and Vargem Grande complexes, in Minas Gerais state, following a decision by local mining agency, ANM. Operations at Vargem Grande were already halted due to the Brumadinho incidents.
Vale said ANM’s decision to suspend operations at the two iron complexes was “precautionary” and aim to prevent eventual liquefaction at dams Forquilha I, Forquilha II, Forquilha III, Grupo and Vargem Grande.
Vale did not immediately indicate how production would be impacted during the period of “immediate halt” in operations, but indicated such an impact would be “limited.” Vale estimated earlier this week the Fabrica mine, which was operating at the time, would lose a combined 3 million mt/year in production capacity, despite ongoing decommissioning of dams.