Vale's Maravilhas II dam embargoed by ANM in Itabirito

The National Mining Agency (ANM) has issued an embargo on Vale’s Maravilhas II tailings dam, located at the Pico Mine in Itabirito. The measure prohibits the deposit of new tailings into the structure until the mining company regularizes documentation regarding dam safety.

The embargo is due to administrative irregularities rather than new physical anomalies or stability concerns. Specifically, Vale failed to update its dam failure simulation studies and Emergency Action Plan (PAEBM) following reinforcement works completed earlier this year. While the dam has been placed on an alert status, the ANM noted that a recent physical inspection in July found no immediate risk to the structure's stability.

Vale stated that the structure was already inoperative due to operational planning when the decision was made. To lift the restriction, the company must submit updated documentation for a subsequent evaluation.