Government of Minas Gerais fines Vale and suspends mining operations after environmental damage.
Semad (State Secretariat for the Environment and Sustainable Development) issues R$ 1,7 million in fines and halts operations in Ouro Preto and Congonhas after spills.
247 - The government of Minas Gerais has ordered the indefinite suspension of operational activities in areas of the Fábrica and Viga mines, owned by the mining company Vale, after environmental damage caused by spills in the structures of the projects was detected. The incidents were recorded last Sunday in the municipalities of Ouro Preto and Congonhas, in the central region of the state.
The decision was made by the State Secretariat for the Environment and Sustainable Development (Semad), which imposed a fine of R$ 1,7 million on the mining company based on Decree No. 47.383/2018. This regulation addresses environmental infractions, including pollution and failures to report environmental accidents.
In addition to the financial penalty, Semad ordered the suspension of operations until the company proves the elimination of environmental risks and the adoption of control measures considered effective. In the case of the Viga Mine, the suspension covers the entire project. In the Fábrica Mine, the restriction is limited to activities carried out in pit 18.
The department also demanded the immediate implementation of emergency measures, such as cleaning the affected areas and taking steps to contain further sediment runoff. According to Gustavo Endrigo, Superintendent of Environmental Inspection at Semad, the company must immediately begin monitoring environmental conditions around the mines.
"The company must also immediately begin monitoring the surrounding waters to track the evolution of the situation and present an environmental recovery plan for these degraded areas, including cleaning the banks, dredging, and other interventions necessary for the full recovery of the affected waterways," he stated.
Endrigo also highlighted that Vale will have to present a detailed technical report, identifying the cause of the event and describing all its environmental consequences. In both mines, the inspection found flaws in the drainage system, aggravated by the high volume of rainfall recorded in the Central region of Minas Gerais.
At the Fábrica mine, the spill of water containing sediment reached an estimated volume of 262 cubic meters, affecting internal areas of the CSN company. The incident caused siltation of waterways that flow into the Maranhão River, including the Ponciana and Água Santa streams.
At the Viga Mine, the Environmental Emergency Center (NEA) of Semad identified a landslide on a natural slope in the mining area, with sediment being released and transported to the Maria José stream and, subsequently, to the Maranhão River. The full extent of the environmental impacts is still being assessed by the department, based on technical analyses carried out on site.
