During the 12th edition of the Brazilian Open Pit and Underground Mine Congress (CBMINA), held between August 26 and 28 in Ouro Preto (MG), Samarco presented actions that underscore its trajectory to resume production in a gradual and safe manner, restating its commitment to sustainability. The event, promoted by the Brazilian Mining Institute (Ibram), in a partnership with the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and the Federal University of Ouro Preto (UFOP), gathered experts, scholars, and leaders to discuss trends, challenges and solutions for the mining industry.
At the start of the proceedings, the president of Samarco, Rodrigo Vilela, highlighted the gradual resumption of operations at the company, which is already the second largest exporter of pellets in the country even at 60% of its capacity. “This is an important milestone, one that reflects resilience, responsibility, and efficiency”, the CEO commented.
Vilela also discussed the current mining scenario, highlighting a paradigm shift in the industry. “For the first time, mining is being acknowledged as a crucial part of the energy transition and the process of building a sustainable future. This is essential”, he stated, stressing Samarco’s commitment to practices that are innovative, responsible, and aligned to global challenges.
According to Vilela, in addition to extracting and processing iron ore, Samarco understands that mining plays a strategic role in the planet’s future – from enabling the energy transation to food security, going through technological advancement. “We are experiencing a decisive moment in terms of repositioning our industry. Mining must be seen not just as extraction, but also transformation, value generation and concrete contribution to decarbonization and sustainable development.”
Lessons learned
In the last day of the event, Samarco professionals conducted the panel entitled “A decade of learning: technical progress in tailings management and structural safety after the breach of the Fundão dam”. The presentation was offered by João Paulo Chiste, Dam Geotechnics manager, and specialist engineers Anelisa Vasconcelos and Wanderson Silvério Silva, who shared experiences acquired over the last few years after the breach, which will never be forgotten.
The panel underscored emergency works carried out at the Germano Complex right after the breach, the decharacterization of the Germano Pit and Dam, and the evolution in monitoring systems and dam safety practices, counting on efforts by the Monitoring and Inspection Center (CMI). The decharacterization of the Germano Pit was concluded in July 2023, and works in the Germano dam are advanced, with 92% of interventions completed and expected to finish in
2026, before the expected deadline. The professionals also presented innovative solutions for the reuse of tailings, employing artificial intelligence to optimize processes and reduce environmental impacts.
Credits: Ibram
