Brazil regulator extends deadline to close dangerous mine dams
2019-08-14 10:36:59 [Print]
Brazil's mining regulator on Monday extended the deadlines by up to four years for closing many dangerous tailings dams like the one that collapsed in January at a Vale facility, killing more than 240 people.
Tailings are the muddy waste produced in mining for iron-ore and other minerals. The waste is often contained within a dam built using a variety of methods.
The country's National Mining Agency (ANM) had previously banned construction of new upstream dams in February in response to the disaster. It had also called for such structures still in use to be deactivated by 2021 and fully closed down by 2023.
But under a new regulation published in the government's official gazette on Monday, the larger upstream dams will now have until 2025 or 2027 to be completely shut down in a process known as de-characterization. Smaller dams had their deadline moved up to 2022.
All upstream dams in operation must still be deactivated in 2021, however, meaning no new tailings can be added to the dams.
ANM gave no explanation for the change in deadlines.
Tailings are the muddy waste produced in mining for iron-ore and other minerals. The waste is often contained within a dam built using a variety of methods.
The country's National Mining Agency (ANM) had previously banned construction of new upstream dams in February in response to the disaster. It had also called for such structures still in use to be deactivated by 2021 and fully closed down by 2023.
But under a new regulation published in the government's official gazette on Monday, the larger upstream dams will now have until 2025 or 2027 to be completely shut down in a process known as de-characterization. Smaller dams had their deadline moved up to 2022.
All upstream dams in operation must still be deactivated in 2021, however, meaning no new tailings can be added to the dams.
ANM gave no explanation for the change in deadlines.
