​Vale informs that today it started, on a preventive basis, the Level 1 emergency protocol for dams 6 and 7A, at the Águas Claras Mine, Nova Lima (Minas Gerais), and the Area IX dam, at the Fábrica Mine, Ouro Preto (Minas Gerais), all of them inactive, protocol that does not require the evacuation of the population downstream of the dam.

Recently, once it identified three inactive structures with characteristics of dams, Vale communicated and recorded these structures with the competent bodies. As of more recent inspections, no anomalies have been identified that could compromise the safety of the structures.

Vale is working on the investigation of these structures to obtain details of their characteristics and conditions. The decision to raise the level of emergency is a preventive measure until the technical analysis of the structures is completed.

The activation of Level 1 protocol of the dams mentioned in this release does not impact the 2020 production plan, as presented in the Production and Sales Report in 1Q20.