Vale has raised the alert levels of three of its dams. The action was deemed necessary as independent dam safety auditors, hired by Vale, have indicated that these structures would not receive Stability Condition Declarations because they now have safety factors below the new limit established by the National Mining Agency (ANM) on February 18, 2019.

Therefore, Vale, on Wednesday (27/3), as a preventive measure, triggered the protocol to move to level 3 of the Emergency Action Plan for Mining Dams (PAEBM) for three of its dams. The dams that will move to level three are: B3 / B4, at the Mar Azul Mine in Macacos / Nova Lima, and the Forquilha I and Forquilha III dams, at the Fábrica Mine, in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais.

It is important to note that the evacuation of people and animals originally took place on February 16 in Macacos / Nova Lima and on February 20 in the rural area of Ouro Preto, and that there has been no change in the monitoring parameters of the dams.

As the protocol dictates, with the rise to level 3, the warning sirens that cover the Self-Rescue Zone (ZAS) were triggered.

Vale will adopt the necessary measures, with the support of the Civil Defense and other competent bodies, to guide the residents of the Secondary-Safety Zone (ZSS) of Macacos / Nova Lima and Ouro Preto and prepare them, through training and evacuation drills, in case of a dam breach situation.

Vale reiterates that it continues to adopt a series of preventive measures to increase the safety condition of its dams.

It is important to remember that the B3 / B4, Forquilha I and III dams are Vale's remaining inactive dams and are part of the de-characterization plan announced by the company on January 29, 2019.