Our commitment

Photo: Ricardo Teles

We will continue moving forward with humility, active listening and transparency, strengthening dialogue with all our stakeholders, and contributing to the construction of safer and more sustainable mining.February
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Photo: Alexandre Rezende

Vale reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the safe and responsible management of tailings, with the absolute priority being the safety of our people, the preservation of the environment, and the integrity of the communities where we operate.

In recent years, we have promoted structural advancements in our governance, risk management, and operational processes related to tailings storage facilities. We fully adhere to the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM), established by ICMM, UNEP, and PRI, with the goal of ensuring resilience in all phases of the structure's lifecycle, from design to closure.

Furthermore, as an active member of the ICMM, we actively support the creation of the International Institute on Tailings Management (IITM), recognizing the importance of international collaboration in raising global standards of safety and transparency in the mining sector.

We are aware of the responsibility we bear and remain committed to being a benchmark in sustainable, innovative, and safe practices in tailings management. We invest heavily in technology, training, and organizational culture to ensure that our actions reflect our commitment to life, society, and the future of mining.

Gustavo Pimenta, CEO

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Our journey and governance

Our dams and TSFs

PAEBM

De-characterization Program

GISTM

Technology

Glossary/Q&A

Adoption of best practices

At Vale, we adopt responsible practices that prioritize safety, the well-being of individuals, and the protection of the environment.

Therefore, we have expanded our efforts in developing innovative solutions, focusing on risk reduction and the continuous improvement of monitoring of dams and tailings storage facilities (TSFs).

Our Policy for Dam and mining Geotechnical Structure Safety brings together guidelines and commitments to ensure that each asset is planned, constructed, operated, and decommissioned responsibly and is line with the best national and international industry practices.

Click here to learn more about our Policy

Photo: Marcelo Rosa

Criteria for tailings disposal

Our criteria for selecting sites for tailings disposal and our policies include the use of natural or man-made disposal methods. Tailings are generally are disposed of in geotechnical structures, such as dams and TSFs.

For more information on responsible water resources management, please visit the Water and Water Resources Policy.

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New way of operating

We are committed to investing in innovative solutions to reduce our dependence on tailings dams, reuse the tailings that are generated, and adopt more sustainable practices in our operations. Among the main initiatives, the following standout:

Tailings filtration plants

Structures that allow the separation of water from the waste, transforming it into solid material (filter cake), which can be disposed of more safely.

Dry Processing

Expanding production through technologies that reduce or eliminate water use in ore processing, decreasing the generation of wet tailings.

Reuse of tailings and waste material

Reuse of tailings is an evolving area of research in the mining sector. Key opportunities lie in reprocessing tailings into secondary products or using them in construction materials. Reprocessed materials are often sold for their higher-purity material content to a range of industries.

Co-products development

Co-products such as sand, aggregate, or other minerals are typically used as raw material for roads, construction, and other engineering applications. These materials have distinct uses based on local demand and technical property specifications. Some could also be sold for their value as added minerals.