Brazilian miner and iron ore producer Vale will lose a 3 million mt/year iron ore production capacity this year at its Fabrica mine in the city of Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais state, the company said on Wednesday.
Daniel Kaz, a public relations officer at Vale, told SteelOrbis the Fabrica mine will continue operating, despite the 3 million mt/year cut in capacity, which is due to the decommissioning of four dams near Ouro Preto.
Kaz said production at Vale’s other site, Vargem Grande, remains halted, due to the Brumadinho incident that killed at least 169 people.
The 3 million mt/year cut in iron ore production out of its Fabrica mine is on top of an already estimated 40 million mt/year loss in production, which was already reported by SteelOrbis.
Additionally, Vale said on Tuesday it will relocate 125 people near five dams, four in Ouro Preto, and one at the Vargem Grande complex, near Nova Lima, in Minas Gerais state.