The global effects of Brazil's Jan. 25 Vale mining disaster

Feb 18, 2019 18:48 4 min read (Updated: Feb 18, 2019 18:49)

In the wake of the Brumadinho dam collapse, which killed at least 169 people so far—with 141 others still missing— the Brazilian government issued a resolution to end so-called “upstream” dams. There are currently 84 of such dams around the country, consisting of embankments, made from tailings, piled on top of one another to create a staircase effect and moving the dam upstream. The method is the cheapest and least secure way of building a dam. The national mining agency (ANM) also wants mining companies to remove facilities from risky areas in no more than six months.

The global effects of Brazil’s Vale mining disaster

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