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    Photo: Vale's Archive
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    Photo: Vale's Archive

    What are Tailings?  

    Tailings are what remains after ore processing in wet beneficiation plants. They consist of ore, sand, and water, and are non-toxic, non-corrosive, and non-flammable. 

     Dams and TSF Projects  

    All dams and TSFs at Vale must have a project based on the best engineering and safety practices aligned with robust and continually improved operation, maintenance, and monitoring procedures.

     Vale and their Business Units 

     Vale is a global company with structures in various parts of the world.  

     The following table presents locations of our business units: 
     
    Business Unit Country Asset Ore
    Iron Ore Solutions
    Brazil
    Mining
    Iron ore
    Energy transition metals - North Atlantic
    Canada
    Mining
    Nickel
    Energy transition metals - South Atlantic
    Brazil
    Mining
    Copper and Nickel
    Energy transition metals - South Pacific
    Indonesia
    Mining
    Nickel

    What is a Geotechnical Structure? 

    A geotechnical structure is a broad term referring to general engineering works such as dams, dikes, TSFs, landfills, mine pits, piles, dry stacks, foundations, tunnels, and buildings.

    This portal serves to demonstrate how Vale conceptualizes, quantifies, and manages their dams and TSFs. 

    Fotógrafo: xxxx

    What is a Dam? 

    A dam is a barrier for the containment or accumulation of liquid substances, or a mixture of liquids and solids, forming a reservoir. The concept encompasses the entire dam system: reservoir, main dam, internal dikes (if any), and saddle dikes. Its primary purpose can be to store water, sediments, mining tailings, or generate energy. Dams that store tailings, sediment or water in a mining environment can also be generically referred to as "mining dams".
     

    What is a Dike? 

    A dike is an accessory structure used to assist in the formation of a dam reservoir. A dam can have none, one, or more dikes. Some dams have saddle dikes, which are built on topographic saddles, with the aim of assisting in reservoir formation. There can also be internal dikes, which are structures built within the reservoir, with the aim of increasing dam storage capacity. At Vale, dikes are generally referred to as “structures” or “geotechnical structures”, and are always assigned identification

    What is a Tailings Storage Facility? 

    A tailings storage facility (TSF) is a drained dam and/or stacked stcture storing tailings. For dams, it encompasses the entire system (i.e., the main dam, and saddle dikes and internal dikes, if any). TSF identification names match those of the related dam or drained stack. 

    Fotógrafo: xxxx

    What possible construction and raising methods can be implemented for dams?

    When a dam is built, a dyke is constructed to contain the iron ore tailings. This is the starter dam. As the dam continues to receive more tailings, new layers are built onto the starter dam - an operation that is referred to “raising”. 

    There are different types of raising works that can be executed with dams. The main types of raising used by Vale are the downstream construction method (conventional model) and the upstream construction method. In addition to these models, “single stage” dams (which are not raised) are also used.

    To find out more about dam construction methods and emergency levels, access the QR code and watch the video:


    QR CODE

     

    Photo: Vale's Archive

    Learn more about single stage dams:

    Construction method for dams were raising masses rest on tailings or sediment previously released and deposited, including masses formed on tailings from already established reservoirs;
    Raising downstream from the starting dike, where the raising blocks are built with borrowed material or with the waste itself;
    Method of heightening where the dam axis remains aligned with the axis of the starting dike due to the arrangement of the construction material (partly downstream and partly upstream) in relation to the crest of the previous stage; and
    No heightening, the dam is built on compacted soil or rockfill (stone blocks) without subsequent construction of heightening to increase capacity.
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     About dams and tailings

     Do you want to know more?

    The Vale Tailings Dams Manual was produced to help in understanding key concepts. 

     
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    Key Figures from the Inventory of Dams and TSFs - Iron Ore Solutions Unit

    *Excludes stockpiles, Environmental Impact Containment Structure (EICS) and de-characterized structures

    Want to know more about our dams?

    • Access Vale’s Dams and TSFs table (Iron Solutions unit)
    • Access the SIGBM page (available only in Portuguese) – federal website of information about dams of mining 
    • Access the GISTM page – Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management

    Key Figures from the Inventory of Dams and TSFs - Unit for Energy Transition