Vale interrupts iron ore production amid dam safety concerns
Brazilian iron ore mining giant Vale has interrupted production at its Timbopeba mine and part of its Alegria mine after prosecutors ordered the evacuation of an area around the nearby Xingu dam in the state of Minas Gerais reducing its output by 40,000 iron ore tonnes a day.
The company also stopped traffic on the Fabrica Nova railway, which usually transports iron ore produced at Usina Timbopeba. Timbopeba was closed temporarily, reducing production by 33,000 iron ore tonnes a day.
The miner said “The company is working to resume operations, focusing on the safety of employees and surrounding communities.”
Vale’s iron ore output totaled 68 million tonnes in Q1 of 2021, 14.2% higher than in Q1 of 2020. The year-on-year growth was in part attributed to the gradual resumption of halted operations in Timbopeba.
Vale maintains its full-year guidance of between 315-335 million tonnes of iron ore for 2021.
