Brazilian miner and iron ore producer Vale said this week it will use autonomous equipment to help it decommission its B3/B4 and Sul Superior dams.
The B3/B4 dam is located at its Mar Azul mine, while its Sul Superior dam is located at its Gongo Soco mine, both in the state of Minas Gerais.
Vale said that the decommissioning of both dam structures is a “complex process.” Both dams have a risk level three, which means there’s a high chance of collapse.
Vale said it has already removed residents nearby both dams and built containing structures attached to the dams to reinforce their safety.
Vale said it will collect samples of materials at its Sul Superior dam to determine the characteristics of the remaining waste in the structure. It will also open up channels to drain water from the structure.
At its B3/B4 dam, it will remove waste at the same time it partially removes stockpiles near the area.
Vale said both dam decommissioning processes were approved by a technical inspector appointed by Brazilian prosecutors.
Vale said it has decommissioned five dams since 2019.