Brazilian mining giant Vale said that the Brazilian National Mining Agency (ANM) has reduced the emergency level of its Forquilha III dam at the Fábrica mine in the municipality of Ouro Preto, Brazil, from level 3 to level 2. This decision was based on new data and improved safety factors, and it means the company no longer has any dams at the highest emergency level.

Gustavo Pimenta, Vale's CEO, said that the company has fulfilled its goal of having no level 3 dams in 2025. Vale has also implemented the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM) for all its tailings dams and will continue its Upstream Dam Decharacterization Program while improving the dam management.

The Forquilha III dam is scheduled to begin its decharacterization process in 2026. Since 2019, 17 of the 30 dams in the program have been decharacterized. Vale maintains 24/7 monitoring of its dams to ensure safety.