Brazil mining regulator urged to improve risk monitoring

Brazil's mining regulator ANM is coming under pressure after a maximum alert has been issued for a rock salt mine at risk of collapse near Alagoas state capital Maceió.

"The recurring problems in the mining segment show that regulators urgently need to change their approach to mitigate risks," Valdir Farias, CEO of mining consultancy Fioito, told BNamericas. 

"We need to strengthen ANM to improve inspections and in parallel, we also need local governments and companies themselves to carry out constant assessment and understand how close their activities are to urban regions and the points of risks," said Farias. 

The alert was issued after petrochemical firm Braskem and regulators detected signs of instability at the mine. The federal government and the state imposed a state of emergency on the city and ordered evacuations of neighborhoods.

The problems were known since at least 2019, as Braskem previously paid compensations to the local government. 

"The geological scene of the Mutange region, in Maceió, showed a slight improvement this Monday, December 4, compared to the last few days," a statement by the mines and energy ministry (MME) said. 

MME formed a task force, also including representatives of geological service SGB and ANM to monitor the situation.

"Together, technicians from MME, SGB and ANM evaluated the latest data made available by the state and municipal civil defenses and by Braskem, which monitor the critical site full-time. After analysis, those present considered that even though there were no positive earthquakes in the last 48 hours and the slowdown in the vertical displacement of the rock salt mine in the capital of Alagoas, care must remain integral," the statement said. 

MME said the task force interacts with local authorities, providing technical advice and recommending protection and mitigation measures.

The incident adds to a tragedy in 2015 in Mariana, when a dam operated by Vale-BHP JV Samarco collapsed and killed 19, and one in 2019, when Vale’s Brumadinho tailings dam collapsed, killing 300. Both events also destroyed swathes of the environment.

In 2016, the companies involved in the Mariana incident and public prosecutors agreed to a compensation of 24.4bn reais (US$4.9bn), but opposition to the deal has grown, particularly after Vale agreed to pay 37.7bn reais for the Brumadinho disaster.

Renegotiations underway could lead to a record 126bn-real settlement, according to local authorities.