RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – In relation to the interdiction order issued by the Regional Labor Superintendence (SRT), Vale reports that workers’ access and vehicle circulation remain suspended in the flood zone of the Xingu dam, including Alegria Mine.
For now, “only people working on the structure’s stabilization efforts and on the structuring actions for the implementation of the unmanned train are allowed to enter the area, according to a strict safety protocol,” the mining company added in a statement to the market.
After the interdiction, the mining company also said that it has begun tests for the implementation of an unmanned train, with a reduced load. During the test phase, there will be less circulation of trains on the branch line, with reduced speed, and a gradual return of carried freight. After full implementation, the unmanned train will travel a 16 km stretch through an integrated control system capable of automatically performing dynamic acceleration and braking operations.
“It is expected that once tests and implementation are completed, which should take between one and two months, the Timbopeba mine will be operational at around 80-100% of its daily 33,000-ton capacity,” the company informs.
The company points out that the Xingu Dam is still at emergency level 2, according to the Emergency Action Plan for Mining Dams (PAEBM), in which there is no imminent risk of rupture.
The absence of imminent risk or change in the structure’s condition was reinforced after a technical visit conducted June 15 by the National Mining Agency (ANM). The dam is monitored and inspected by a specialized technical team, and is included in the company’s dam decommissioning plan, the statement adds.
For maximum caution, the Xingu Dam’s Self-Salvation Zone (SSA) will remain closed off, and no people will be permanently in the area, the company concludes.