Brazil's Vale downgrades Forquilha I tailings dam emergency level from 2 to 1

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On August 18, the Forquilha I tailings dam at Vale's Fábrica mine in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil, had its emergency level downgraded from 2 to 1 in the National Mining Agency (ANM) Integrated Management System for Mining Dams (SIGBM).

Vale stated that the downgrade was made possible by the progress of geotechnical investigations, the deepening of technical studies, and improvements to structural monitoring instruments. These efforts enabled the dam to achieve new safety factors that meet the requirements for reclassification. The Forquilha I dam had maintained an emergency level of 2 since 2020, during which Vale continuously implemented structural reinforcement and risk reduction measures.

The Forquilha II and Forquilha III tailings dams, also located in the Fábrica mine, currently remain at emergency level 2. The Forquilha III dam was downgraded from level 3 to level 2 in 2025, and since then Vale has had no structures at the highest emergency level, level 3.

Vale also confirmed progress on its dam decommissioning program in Brazil. Of the 30 dams and dike structures included in the program, 19 have completed decommissioning construction—16 in Minas Gerais and 3 in Pará—accounting for 63% of the total. Since 2019, Vale's cumulative investment in the program has reached R$13.3 billion (approximately US$2.5 billion at the exchange rate of August 24, 2026).

At the Fábrica mine, six structures are included in the decommissioning program: the Forquilha I, II, and III dams are in the preparation phase for decommissioning, with construction expected to begin within 2026 and completion planned for 2035; the Grupo, Área IX, and Baixo João Pereira structures have completed decommissioning construction. The Grupo dam had its emergency level lifted in May 2026.