Vale reports that the extraction site of Gongo Soco mine, in Barão de Cocais (Minas Gerais), is under 24-hour remote monitoring, which uses radars and robotic stations to detect millimetric movements of the structure, as well as a drone for overflights. The real-time video monitoring is done by the control room at Gongo Soco and the Geotechnical Monitoring Center (CMG, Centro de Monitoramento Geotécnico). There are four devices in the control room at Gongo Soco and two at CMG.
 
According to the current monitoring data from the radar installed at the extraction site, there is a possibility of slide of the North slope at the extraction site, which is located 1.5 km away from Sul Superior dam. However, the monitoring of this structure, using radars and robotic stations, does not provide evidences of deformation process at the dam.
 
There is no technical information so far to state that the eventual slide of the North slope at the extraction site of Gongo Soco mine - whose operations ceased in 2016 - will cause the breach of Sul Superior dam. But Vale is reinforcing the level of alertness and readiness for the risk of breach. Sul Superior dam is classified as Level 3 since March 22.
 
Information about the Emergency Training
 
Vale keeps local communities informed about the conditions of the slope at Gongo Soco mine and has begun a local radio disclosure about the emergency training on Saturday (18) at 3:00pm for all the residents of the Secondary Safety Zone (ZSS, Zona de Segurança Secundária) in Barão de Cocais. The distribution of printed information (brochures) occurred this afternoon (17). More information on this emergency training is available here (in portuguese).
 
The Self-Rescue Zone (ZAS, Zona de Autossalvamento) of Sul Superior dam - communities of Piteiras, Socorro, Tabuleiro and Vila do Gongo - was preventively evacuated on February 8, totaling 458 people relocated. These communities were transferred to temporary housing rented by Vale, hotels, inns of the region, or relatives' homes (their choices have been respected).