Vale stops the Alegria mine

Brazilian Vale has stopped operations at the Alegria iron mine at the Mariana complex in Minas Gerais, which could remove 10 million tonnes of iron ore from the global market annually.

According to the world's largest iron ore producer, preventive measures were taken after a stress test failed to guarantee the stability of the mine's structures. The miner noted that he will resume production when new studies are complete and the results are convincing.

Last week Vale was forced to close its Timbopeba mine, also in the state of Minas Gerais, which produced 12.8 million tonnes of iron ore a year due to safety concerns.

The company later received a new order to stop two more dams - Minervino and Cordao Nova Vista. On the same day, prosecutors took a separate action, seeking 50 billion reais (roughly $ 13 billion) in environmental remediation guarantees following the January 2019 accident.