Vale resumes mining activities after rainfall in Minas Gerais

Brazilian mining company Vale announced on Monday (Jan. 17) its decision to partially resume activities after halting operations due to recent heavy rains in Minas Gerais state. According to the company, “appropriate safety conditions have been reestablished” for the resumption of its activities.

Vale estimates the stoppages in Minas Gerais have affected the production of about 1.5 million tonnes of iron ore.

In Vale’s Southeast System all the production has been normalized. On Rio Piracicaba - João Monlevade section of Vitoria-Minas railway, trains have resumed transportation of the production from Brucutu and Mariana mines.

Vale said Abóboras, Vargem Grande, Fábrica and Viga plants were gradually resuming production. They represent about half of the current capacity of the Southern System in the state of Minas Gerais. "The other plants shall resume their activities in the coming days, after additional work to reestablish adequate operating conditions and normalization of train circulation," according to Vale’s statement.

The heavy rains in Minas have caused so far 25 fatalities, according to the latest Civil Defense release. Furthermore, 47,911 people have been displaced and 7,336 are homeless. 377 municipalities, almost half of the state, have declared state of emergency.