Brazilian mining giant Vale announced that it has completed the decommissioning works at Área IX dam in Ouro Preto, making the completion rate of the upstream dam structure decommissioning program reach 57%.

The program was started in 2019 due to the collapse incident of the B1 dam in Brumadinho.

So far, 17 of the 30 dams planned to be decommissioned have been completed.

Vale will now start terrain re-conforming and carry out drainage system and revegetation works, improving environmental conditions in the area.

More than R$10 billion has been invested in the project to ensure that the idle structures are permanently monitored and managed according to the highest safety standards.