Vale informs that it suspended, in the night of September 24th, the disposal of tailings and the execution of works at the B7 dam, located in the municipality of Jeceaba, Minas Gerais (MG), Brazil, in compliance with the decision by the judge of the Court of Entre Rios de Minas district regarding the Public Civil Action filed by the municipality of Jeceaba. As a result of this decision, the operations of the Viga concentration plant, located in the municipality of Congonhas, MG, were also suspended, while the activities at the Viga mine remain unchanged.
The estimated impact of the temporary stoppage of Viga operations is approximately 11 000 tpd of iron ore fines. Vale reinforces that the Viga operational unit fulfils the necessary requirements for the issuance of the B7 dam operating permit and that, for this reason, it will contest the court decision.