Waste - ESG
Waste
Our Management
Management and environmental technology
The waste generated in our productive process can be classified as mining and metallurgical wastes and industrial wastes.
Mining and metallurgical waste include tailings and wasterocks from mining and the slag generated in nickel and manganese metallurgical processes.
The industrial waste management, on the other hand, encompasses the segregation, collection, valorization, and destination of rubber, plastic, used oil, contaminated waste, wood, metallic scraps, and food waste, among others.
This is very important classification mainly due to the waste generation scale, the specific regulations, and the different methodologies for mining and metallurgical waste management and disposal, which are directly related to mineral reserves and to the mining, ore processing, and metallurgical technologies adopted in the processes, whose sustainable management is one of the a majors challenges in the mining sector.
Mining and metallurgical waste
By the end of 2020, Vale published its Mining and metallurgical waste management Policy, milestone that strengthens the efforts already made by the company and gives guidance for investments to encourage an innovative circular economy, which maximizes the use of materials and fosters new value chains.
In order to contribute to the waste reduction and reuse, as well as reducing environmental and social disposal risks, Vale's policy focuses on three main areas of action:
- Prioritize, in the research, design, implementation, operation, decommissioning and closure phases of projects, the best available practices for:
- Mining and mineral processing optimization and waste internal use;
- Reducing the risk of metal solubilization for drainage in the disposal of tailings, wasterock and slag in piles.
- Invest in R&D projects and in the implementation of ore processing optimization technologies and the use of wasterock, tailings and slag in new value chains.
- Prioritize the dry processing.
In cases where there is no feasible alternative, tailings are disposed in dams, in compliance with all the governance and safety guidelines established in Vale's Policy for the Dams Safety and Geotechnical Mining Structures. For more information related to Control and Management of Dams access here.
Vale continues to invest in solutions to reduce our reliance on new dams and dam raisings. In 2022, Vale reached an approximate 79% share of dry processing production compared to 40% in 2014.
Vale expects to have only approximately 15% of production based on tailings disposal in dams build in a single step or raised by center line or downstream method once:
- It reach 360 Mtpy in capacity and
- It complete the implementation of other related projects, including the production increase in Northern System, the conversion of Plant 1 in Serra Norte to dry processing, the Capanema project start-up, and the implementation of tailings filtration plants and dry concentration facilities.
Generation of mineral and metallurgical waste in 2022: 406.1 million tons
*Other businesses include waste rock and tailings from mining Nickel, Manganese, Coal and Copper and slag (Manganese alloy).
Industrial waste
Vale has an environmental technology area which develops industrial waste valorization projects jointly with the operational areas. Our waste management focuses on:
Goals
Each operational unit deploys its waste management program adapted to its local reality and culture, pursuing specific goals to achieve its priorities and in compliance with the Vale Waste Management Plan.
The goals of the programs are focused mainly on two indicators:
- Reduction of generation and increase of environmentally adequate disposal, such as composting, reuse, re-refining and recycling;
- Waste reuse valorization with the objective of reducing landfill disposal, in compliance with SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production.
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Vale Unit
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Indicator/KPI
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Malasya
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Reduction of generantio of hazardoius waste
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Procurement
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Increase of sustainable waste disposal,excluding metal waste
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EFVM
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Reduction of waste without sustainable disposal
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South / Southeast Ports
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Reduction of non-sustainable wast disposal
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Salobo
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Reduction of the generation of waste with non-sustainable disposal
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Onça Puma
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Reduction of generation of hazardous waste with non-sustainble disposal
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Vale Unit
Malasya
Indicator / KPI
Reduction of generation of hazardous waste
Vale Unit
Supplies
Indicator / KPI
Increase of sustainable waste disposal, excluding metal waste
Vale Unit
EFVM
Indicator / KPI
Reduction of waste without sustainable disposal
Vale Unit
South / Southeast Ports
Indicator / KPI
Reduction of non-sustainable waste disposal
Vale Unit
Salobo
Indicator / KPI
Reduction of the generation of waste with non-sustainable disposal
Vale Unit
Onça Puma
Indicator / KPI
Reduction of the generation of hazardous waste with non-sustainable disposal
Industrial Waste Generation
Generation of non-mineral waste
(in thousand tons) GRI 306-3 (2020)
Global Disposal and Destination
(in thousand tons) GRI 306-4 e 306-5 (2020)
Disposal and Destination
(Total of 577 thousand tons GRI 306-4 and 306-5)
*External landfill, internal landfill, disposal in waste rock piles and subsoil
** Co-processing, incineration and biological treatment
Risks Overview
As a way of controlling the destination of waste in Brazil, Vale created the Waste Recipient Audits Program. All the companies that receive waste from Vale undergo an environmental assessment and auditing process within a maximum period of three years.
Business Case
Wood packaging reuse (Mina de Carajás)
At Carajás mine, located in the city of Parauapebas (PA), in the Amazon region, in partnership with a local company, Vale has developed a project to reuse wood packaging waste in boilers for energy generation, to reduce final disposal in landfills. In 2019, 1,270 tons of wood waste was destined for reuse, and in 2020, it was 505 tons, with a decrease due to logistics and Covid-19 pandemic restrictions.
Used oil regeneration (Carajás Mine)
Vale has implemented a used refrigeration oil regeneration unit at its Carajás Waste Materials Management Center (CMD). The process consists of a previous analysis of the oils at the generating source and the subsequent collection, filtering, regeneration, and oils return for use by the maintenance workshops. In 2019, approximately 970,000 liters have already been regenerated and 940,000 liters in 2020, showing the project's great success, since it represented a significant reduction in the purchase of new oils by the operational unit's maintenance areas.
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) destination
Vale has developed actions to speed up the environmentally appropriate destination of waste containing polychlorinated biphenyls, known as PCBs, in all its operational units. PCBs are considered environmental contaminants, impacting health and ecosystems.
Based on the company's international commitments and safety and environment values, a process was established to identify potential sources of PCB-contaminated oils at Vale's operations units. The demands were consolidated and a gradual final destination process was established, aligning the maintenance cycles of the electric equipments with the pursuit of anticipating the PCB destination goals.
These actions also aim to anticipate the elimination of PCB use, a goal of the Stockholm Convention, which is foreseen by 2025, besides ensuring their environmentally adequate final disposal by 2028. By 2020, more than 200 tons of PCB waste was disposed of and more than 12,000 liters of transformer equipament oils were regenerated and classified as uncontaminated.
Haul trucks tire recycling
Vale sends haul trucks tires scrap generated by its operations in Pará and Minas Gerais, Brazil, to recycling companies. Recycling these tires is a big challenge due to their size - they can measure over than 4 meters in diameter - and also due to the resistance of the internal steel mesh, which makes them very difficult to handle and cut for recycling. Approximately 9,000 tons of tires are recycled per year.
Utilization of packaging wood (Cooperative development in São Luis/MA)
At Ponta da Madeira port terminal, Vale has developed a project to support the implementation and development of the Vila Maranhão Labor, Collection and Waste Recovery Cooperative (CoopVila). The social project is developed with the local residents of Vila Maranhão, neighboring Vale's operations in São Luís (MA). In 2019, 1,504 tons of wood waste were destined, and in 2020, 1,140 tons were destined.
The project is a great example of the combined action of the development of a local cooperative and the use of packaging wood waste to manufacture wooden pieces and furniture, reducing the final disposal to landfills and generating income for the local community.
Fostering the circular economy
Vale has been exploring initiatives that contribute to circular mining, such as reprocessing waste generate (tailings) from iron ore production process to create ore-sand, a by product alternative to riverbed or coastal sand mining.
In 2021, we begin marketing Brucutu sand, with quality certified by specialized
laboratories, with 225,000 tons available to be used in applications such as concrete, mortar, precast, artifacts, cement and road paving.
Each ton of sand produced represents one ton less of tailings being disposed of in piles or dams.
In 2022, we expanded sand operations, allocating 530,000 tons from mines such as Brucutu and Viga and internal applications
such as the Cauê Test Track, to commercialization for civil construction uses, resulting in several commercial sand contracts. We also contributed to a study carried out by the University of Queensland and University of Geneva, and presented at UNEA, which reinforces the potential of sand from the iron ore production process as a sustainable alternative to the predatory extraction of sand from river beds.
In 2022, advances were also made in relation to circular mining in Base Metals operations, such as:
Use of 360 t of nickel from waste ores;
Reprocessing 5 kt of copper contained in Thompson precipitates; and
2 kt of recycled nicke